


Pointe Shoes and Spider Webs

by TheMaskedBallerina (2Gether)



Category: Ballet - Fandom, MCU, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - Fandom, peter parker - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Avengers - Freeform, Avengers Family, Avengers Tower, Ballet, CHAPTER 100 IS SMUT, Domestic Avengers, F/M, Fluff, I Hate Bad Endings Lol, I dont follow canon, Magic, Main character isnt a regular person, Mind Control, Mutual Pining, Protective Avengers, Slow Burn, There's A Stalker But It's Not Peter, good ending, if you're only interested in that lol, just so yall know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2020-08-19 09:34:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 108
Words: 215,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20207554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2Gether/pseuds/TheMaskedBallerina
Summary: Peter Parker wants to become a better Spider-Man, so he's going to have to do some self-improvement. He considered circus school or gymnastics, but most of these skill sets actually have ballet as their base, so he might as well start with the basics, right?“Alright. Classes start next week.” Peter nearly jumps out of his chair.“Thank you! Thank you so-“ Madame Touha holds up her hand to stop Peter in his tracks.“On one condition.” She looks him straight in the eye. “No messing around with my girls. No dating.”“Deal!”Ha, easy!Peter thought to himself. But oh boy, was he wrong about that.





	1. Stick To A Theme

**Author's Note:**

> I have about ten years of experience in ballet, so if you have any questions about that part of the story feel free to ask! I do not own any of the characters from the Marvel (Cinematic) Universe. English isn't my first language and I haven't written in about three years, but I hope you enjoy this fic!

“We don’t get a lot of guys these days, unfortunately.” Peter follows the middle-aged lady, his gaze lingering on the frames covering the hallway. Pictures of girls wearing tutus on brightly lit stages fill the walls. The images vary from kids in regular dance wear to adult women, thin like sticks, wearing tutus with the most intricate details on them. Their make-up is intense and their smiles are beaming. 

The lady walking in front of Peter quickens her pace and he follows quietly. Her heels click on the aged, tiled floor, her pencil skirt limiting the extent of her stride. She has a donut bun on her head and Peter can tell she must’ve been wearing it regularly her entire life, as her hairline has started receding a little. Her eyes skim some papers through a pair of tiny glasses. “What sparked your interest to learn ballet?”  
“I’ve always admired the physicality of ballet,” Peter says without missing a beat. He practiced this. Of course, he wasn’t going to tell her that Spider-Man was running out of new moves and that he needs regular practice to keep his flexibility at the right level. He had all his answers ready. She wasn’t going to catch him off guard. Sure, he might as well have gone to a circus school or find somewhere he could practice gymnastics, but somehow all of those skills also require knowledge of ballet. Might as well start with the basics, right?

The lady, who had previously introduced herself as Madame Touha stops in her tracks and looks back at Peter.  
“The physicality?”  
“Yes, uh- the fact that you can make it look easy but it never is? Flexibility and strength, that kinda stuff.”  
“You can learn that with any type of dance.” Madame Touha squints and leans closer. “You are hiding something.” Peter presses his lips on top of each other. How did she already see through him? What is he supposed to say now? Of all the scenarios he planned, he somehow didn’t plan for a lady with a lie detector. He didn’t exactly lie, but he wasn’t telling the truth either. Obviously, he’s hiding something. He is Spider-freaking-Man. He’s said less than 5 sentences to her and she already knows he has a secret agenda. _Great._

Madame Touha turns her head to one side. “Most older guys who come here now aren’t here for the dancing. They come here for the dancers. These are my girls and I will not have them be preyed upon, am I understood?” Of all the things she could say to him, he didn’t expect her to mistrust him based on his gender. Or his hormones.  
“No,” he stumbles. “I mean yes, I mean- I understand.” Madame Touha leans back and eyes him from the top of his head to the tips of his toes with her hands on her hips. Her raised eyebrows come back down as she turns and continues walking.  
“I don’t mean to scare you, but my students are my priority.”  
“I understand, Madame.” Peter hastily continues following her. “You’re just trying to keep them safe.” She shoots a glance at him. Maybe he said that with a little too much understanding in his voice. He meant it, though. He knows all about trying to keep the people he cares about safe. It doesn’t always work out the way he would like to, but nothing is more important to him.

Madama Touha stops at one of the doors in the long hallway and rummages through her papers, looking for something. Muffled sounds of a piano playing staccato fill his ears. And something else. Weird… Tapping? It’s an odd sound that Peter would one day grow familiar to hearing. It’s a deep sound, but always short and never loud. Peter can’t help his curiosity and peeks through the vertical glass strip next to the door. He can’t see much from where he’s standing and he bites the inside of his lip out of quiet frustration. What is that?  
“You won’t be joining that particular class, Mr. Parker.” Madame Touha smiles.

Peter jolts back into position, looking at his feet, embarrassed that he got caught staring. He glances into the room one more time from where he’s standing, but he still can’t see what’s happening in there.  
“What are they doing?”  
“That’s pointe class.”  
“The uncomfortable shoe-thingies?” Peter could hit himself in the head. That was the stupidest question he could ever ask. To his surprise, Madame Touha laughs.  
“You can look if you want, but please don’t disturb the dancers.” Peter takes a few small steps towards the window until he has a better look of what’s happening in there. He’s immediately glued to the group of graceful women gliding over the floor on those- pointe thingies. They must be a very high level, doing turns and jumps with an ease that’s almost scary to him. They don’t even have super powers and they do this stuff. By themselves.

One of them stands out. Not because she’s doing something wrong, though. She isn’t perfect in her movements either, only sticking to three turns where most of them easily did four, some even five. Her technique is lacking, but… She does something extra, that the others seem to miss. He focusses completely on her. She’s not necessarily doing the steps. She’s not dancing. She’s performing. It’s breath taking. Her arms arch slightly further and the expression on her face... It’s so intense. She is feeling the music. Every note the piano hits can be read on her face and in her movements. He can feel his own muscles tensing in tune with the music as the dancers perform their choreography. Two, three… 

“Peter?” He’s brought back to reality by Madame Touha. “Did you hear anything I said? Anything at all?” He moves away from the window with an apologetic look on his face. His hand goes through his hair as he tries to collect his thoughts.  
“I’m sorry, I kind of… Zoned out,” he admits. Madame Touha raises an eyebrow. “It’s just so graceful. I’ve never seen anyone dance like that from up close.” Madame Touha just looks at him. _Oh, god. She really must be thinking I’m here for something other than dancing._ He’s going to have to say what’s on his mind before she refuses to teach him. “I want to be graceful like that too.”  
“Do you now?” Madame Touha opens the door across from the dance hall and walks in. Peter follows, not daring to glance back.  
“Yes, Madame. I’m-“ he cuts himself off to close the door, unsure what to say next. “I’m working on a project of my own. It’s, eh, long term.” Madame Touha looks up from the papers she’s reading. She is now seated at an imposing desk.

The room has a few cabinets and professional lighting gear stored in the corner. Next to the door stands a clothing rail, which has a few bags hanging from the hangers. The labels on the bags read names he’s only half familiar with. ‘Odette’, ‘The Sugar Plum Fairy’, ‘Giselle’…  
“A project?”  
“Self-improvement,” he blurts out, letting go of the label that reads ‘The Black Swan’. _Peter, what are you talking about!_ “It probably sounds super cheesy.”  
“Have you ever seen a classical ballet? Cheesy is our thing.” Peter laughs at that, but he’s mentally ticking off his list of things he could say to convince the ballet master to teach him.  
“I want to work on bettering myself as a person and I feel like, in a society that values masculinity above anything else in men, breaking stereotypes will help me grow as a person.”  
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.” Madame Touha snorts. “You don’t need ballet to break stereotypes. You will just find more stereotypes, trust me.” She glances at his chest and his arms. “And judging from your current physical state I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” Peter curses the hot weather, which had him wearing something tight today. His nerves must’ve made him flex his muscles more.

His frustration rises. How is he supposed to join a ballet class like this? What does he have to say to make her trust him? It all feels so gross. He knows he’s lying but he needs to. He needs to lie for her trust. Why won’t she just listen to him to make this easier for everyone? He should’ve come up with better things to say. He’s stupid for thinking Madame Touha would teach him. It causes him to snap.  
“You really don’t like men, do you?” Madame Touha’s head jerks up from her paperwork.  
“Excuse me?” She stands up from her desk. The look in her eye is dark and her voice is stern. “Three girls stopped ballet because their boyfriends, who came here to ‘dance’, decided they got what they came for and wanted the girls to stop their classes as well. You have no idea how many tears have been shed in this very office because of some guy who decided to show up here and mess with the heads of vulnerable teenagers. I have lost two girls to lover boys. One of them was found dead after six days of radio silence. My own daughter-“ She stops herself, resting her hands on her hips, looking at her feet. Peter holds his breath. Why did he say that? _I’m an idiot._

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-“  
“No, Peter. I shouldn’t have said that.” She waves her hand in the air as if to wipe away the words that left her mouth and she lets herself fall back into the chair. Her stiff demeanour has vanished. She looks broken, holding her head in her hands and leaning her elbows on the desk. Peter can’t think of anything that can make right what he just did. The silence that rests between them feels like an eternity. As much as she made it difficult for him to explain why he’s here, he sure has been making this difficult for her as well. Peter turns around to grab the door, to run away, but something holds him back. He shouldn’t tell her. But he also feels like he shouldn’t give up now. He lets go of the door knob and collects himself. He sits down in the chair opposite Madame Touha, leaning forward. The plan he had carefully constructed was thrown out an imaginary window. 

_Here we go._

“I can’t tell you why I’m here, because it’s a secret.” Madame Touha looks up at him. Her eyes questioning. “But please, Madame. Please trust me when I say I want to do this for myself. Not for anyone else. I don’t care if I need to pay for private classes if you don’t want to put me in an already existing class. I just… I really want to learn ballet. I really, really do.” She stares at him and he swallows.  
“Why not go to another school?” Madame Touha questions. “You’re in New York, kid. There are more than enough opportunities for you out there to learn ballet.”  
“My mother used to go here. She learned from the previous director of the school.”  
“Your mother?”  
“Yeah, she’s…” Peter averts his gaze and frowns. He doesn’t know what to say next. Well, he does, but how? “She’s, uh…” He never talks about his parents. Not even to Aunt May.  
“I’m sorry, Pete.” Peter stares back at Madame Touha. Her expression says enough. She understands. “So… You can’t tell me this secret?” She swiftly changes the subject.  
“It wouldn’t be a secret if I could just tell you.”  
“Touché.” There’s another short silence.

“I protect people.” Peter states. “My… er… Persona… Requires grace. That’s why I’m here.”  
“To stick to a theme?” Peter chuckles slightly at her unintended pun.  
“Call it what you like, but it is what it is.”  
“I can’t believe it.” Madame Touha sits back in her chair and Peter tilts his head. “With all the shit that’s happened to me I learned how to see when people are lying.” She scratches a spot under her bun with a pen. “And out of everything you said today, this is the first time I actually think you’re not bullshitting. Even if this is the most bullshit thing I’ve ever heard.” Peter sits up straight, a hopeful look in his eyes. Madame Touha takes him in for a few more seconds and then sighs deeply. “Alright. Classes start next week.” Peter nearly jumps out of his chair.  
“Thank you! Thank you so-“ Madame Touha holds up her hand to stop Peter in his tracks.  
“On one condition.” She looks him straight in the eye. “No messing around with my girls. No dating.”  
“Deal!”

_Ha, easy!_ Peter thought to himself. But oh boy, was he wrong about that.


	2. Cinderella

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ballet school has a dress code, which means Peter is going to have to go shopping for some tights that aren't red and blue. The girl in the shop is just about as awkward as he is.

Peter tightens the straps from his backpack as he rushes out of the alleyway. He just took off his Spidey suit and pulls a face when he readjusts his pants while crossing the street. But hey, this is New York, nobody cares. His hands clutch a piece of paper that Madame Touha gave him. It has a list of all the things he needs to buy. Apparently, ballet classes have a dress code and he’s going to need some tights that are not red and blue. The shop should be around the corner. Peter manoeuvres around a cyclist who’s not paying attention and finds his way into the store.

It’s not wide, but rather deep for a small store. One wall is completely covered in storage space, consisting of small compartments that are overflowing with hundreds of ballet shoes, varying from standard flats to shiny, untouched pointe shoes. The other wall has some simple changing rooms attached to it and the middle part of the store consists of clothing racks filled with different leotards and tutus in all the colors of the rainbow. There’s a curtain separating the front and the back bit of the shop. They must have quite a bit of storage.

Peter makes eye contact with a young girl leaving the store with her mom. She looks excited, maybe she bought something nice. Peter scoots to the side so the mum and the kid can pass and leave the store. The kid looks up at him with a proud grin. He smiles back at her.

“Hi, can I help you?” Peter turns his head to be met with nothing.  
“Um, yes?” he turns again, looking around the store but seeing no one. “Wait, where are you?”  
“I’m under the count-“ There’s a loud thud, paired with some swear words Peter wouldn’t even dare think about. An ash blonde appears from under the counter, rubbing the back of her head.  
“Oh my god, are you okay?” he rushes towards her but she puts her other hand up.  
“Yeah, yeah, shit, I’m fine. Sorry about that. Shouldn’t swear. Fuck, that hurt.” Peter can’t help but chuckle, which makes the girl look up at him with a raised eyebrow.  
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh!”  
“Don’t worry about it,” she laughs it off. “You’d expect being a dancer would make me less of a klutz.”  
“I’d think so, yes.”  
“Opposite’s true, man. The more you dance, the clumsier you become. Universe needs to keep the balance somehow, yaknow.” He knows her. Somehow. Where has he seen her before? School? Maybe on the subway…

“So, anyways.” She puts her hands on her hips. “Can I help you with anything?”  
“Oh, right!” Peter was here with a reason. He takes another look at the piece of paper in his hand and takes a deep breath. Why was this suddenly so embarrassing to him? “I’m starting ballet classes next week and I need something that works with the dress code.”  
“Cool! Which school are you gonna go to?” He stares at her blankly, shuffling the piece of paper in his hands. “All schools have slightly varying dress codes. I know most of the New York ballet schools’ rules by heart at this point.”  
“Ah.” Peter nods. “I’m gonna go to Madame Touha’s.”  
“Dude,” she grins. “Me too! I mean, I already go there, but like- well, you get me.” She shakes her head as she stutters, turning around to make a break for the storage area in the back.  
“Wait, don’t you need my size?”  
“In the world of dance wear, regular sizing is a concept that does not exist,” she yells, her voice muffled by the curtain. She doesn’t take long before she returns with a grey leotard, and black tights. She hands the pieces to him and points at the changing rooms. “Have at it, fam.”  
“Thanks!”

He rushes to get changed and looks at himself in the mirror of the changing room. The outfit is tight, nothing he’s not used to, but he feels vulnerable somehow. Maybe it’s because he’s not wearing a mask.  
“So, how’s it going in there?” Peter’s startled by the shop girl’s words.  
“Alright, I think?”  
“Come on out, I want to see how it looks on you.” Peter freezes. She wants to what now? Slowly he opens the curtain.  
“I think the size is okay?” He shuffles back into the store awkwardly and does a little turn.

The girl looks at him pensively, with her hand on her chin. Then, without warning, she walks up to him and starts shuffling the leotard around on his body. Her hands graze his shoulders, his collar bones, his sides, his biceps… Peter doesn’t realize he’s frozen in a T-pose. He can smell her. _Is that… Is that pomegranate?_ He decides to just stop breathing altogether, as taking in her scent is equally suffocating for some reason. She’s so close.  
“The tights are good. You were right to put them over the leotard, by the way,” she chuckles. “Though the under-the-leotard-tights would’ve been quite the look for you.” She starts walking towards the back again. “I do think you should probably go a size up for your leotard. You’ve got a lot of muscle on your arms and we don’t want you to actually rip your leotard the first time you lift your arms.” Peter frowns and looks at his arms. The leotard was actually quite tight around his biceps and his shoulders. He decided not to move too much until she returned.

When she comes back, Peter quickly changes into the other leotard. It fits much more comfortably this time and he steps out the changing room with a lot more confidence than he did the first time.  
“This is way better,” he says as he looks at his arms, moving them around.  
“It looks good on you,” the girl says. “The fit suits you. You should wear tight outfits in your daily life if you don’t do that already.”  
“You have no idea,” Peter chuckles to himself.  
“What was that?”  
“Nothing,” Peter says quickly as he stands up straighter, trying not to think of his Spider-Man suit that’s currently resting in his backpack. “I mean, I don’t really like people knowing about my body shape so I usually just wear that kinda stuff.” Peter nods to the clothes in the changing room. He means the dress shirt with the sweater over top.  
“You want to hide all of that?” the girl says, gesturing to – well – all of him. Peter can feel his cheeks flushing red and he looks down.  
“I mean, it’s, eh, well-“  
“You know what, that ain’t my place to ask. Let’s fit your shoes.” She shuffles to the shoe-filled wall, muttering something to herself. Peter follows her and quietly sits down on the bench opposite the wall. He only just noticed the barre that splits the shoe wall in half.

“So,” she puts her hands on her hips again. “What’s your shoe size?”  
“Didn’t you say something about regular sizing not being a concept that exists in dance wear?” Peter chuckles.  
“Well, yes, but I’m gonna need it anyways.” She turns to him, one corner of her mouth pulled up. “Ballet shoes exist in a slightly off parallel universe. Sometimes you gotta go three sizes up, sometimes a couple down. Depends on the brand and how they fit.”  
“Okay, well I’m usually 10, sometimes 11.”  
“Aight, take off your socks.” The girl turns to the wall and puts her hand back on her chin, skimming the numbers and names. She taps her foot rhythmically to the classical music playing softly in the background. He can’t help but stare at her.

“Do you run this store by yourself?” Peter asks curiously.  
“Nah, Marie - uh, the owner - had to run some unexpected errands. I’m usually not alone here.” Before Peter could reply she does a little jump and pulls a few things from the wall. “These could work.” She turns to Pete and sits down on the floor, cross-legged, two different plastic bags in her hands. She opens one of them and shows the black shoes to Peter. “Let me explain what we’ve got here.” She puts one of the shoes on the floor and then turns the other upside down. “The shoe’s made of leather, that’ll improve your foot strength more quickly, since you’re a beginner.” She taps the bottom of the shoe with her hand. “Full sole. Split soles are usually worn by more advanced dancers. A full sole also helps building strength as they cause more resistance. The canvas shoes might look nicer aesthetically but they won’t help you a bit.”  
“Oh- okay,” Peter stutters.

He suddenly realizes there’s more to all this ballet stuff than he initially thought. He bites the inside of his cheek.  
“Do you want to be Cinderella or do you think you can put it on yourself?” She tilts her head at him.  
“Right, right, I can put it on myself.” Peter smiles and takes the shoe from her hand. Her fingers brush against his and he tries to move on quickly, but even as he slid the shoe on his foot, he could still feel her touch lingering. He stands up, trying to familiarize the feeling of the shoe on his foot. The girl leans back on her hands, still sitting cross-legged, and looks up at him.  
“How does it feel?” Peter wiggles his toes, flexing and pointing his foot.  
“A little weird, to be honest.”  
“First time’s always a little weird.” An awkward silence falls between them. She opens her mouth and stares at him with big eyes. “That… I should’ve phrased that better.” Peter bursts out laughing.  
“Maybe, maybe.” He pushes his hand through his hair. “Or maybe we’re just gross.”  
“Or that, yes.” She laughs, her gaze lingering on his brown curls and soft smile. She collects herself and moves to her knees to inspect the shoe up close. She squeezes the shoe around his foot and readjusts the elastic strap.

“Can you go first position, relevé?”  
“A what now?”  
“First position.” She moves his feet to stand with their heels touching and his toes turned as far outward as possible. Peter blesses the enhanced flexibility that came with the spider bite because the shop girl seems impressed. It makes him beam with pride. “You’re really just starting out? That’s a good turn-out, man.”  
“I was born a little too flexible, I guess,” Peter jokes, trying to brush it away.  
“Need to keep that in mind when practicing then.” She says with a frown. “Hyper mobility can be dangerous when dancing.”  
“Good to know, thanks.”  
“Relevé, pretty please?” she squeezes her eyes shut and puts on a big smile. “Stand as high up on your toes as you can.” He does as she asks and she feels around the shoe once again. “No… No, this won’t do,” she mutters. “Let’s try the other one.”

Peter tries on the second pair. And a third pair. And a fourth pair. And a fifth… When he tries on his eighth pair, he interrupts her rambling.  
“Are you sure none of them are right? The second pair felt good?”  
“I, uh, well…” She looks away. He notices a frown forming on her face and her breathing quickens slightly. Is she worried about something?  
“Are you okay?”  
“Yes! Yes, I am! I just,” she starts apologetically but she doesn’t finish her sentence. Something’s up.  
“We’ve been talking for a solid hour already. I’m sure whatever’s on your mind now can be discussed too?” Peter tries. He sits down on the bench again to be more at level with her.  
“There’s… There’s this guy.” She presses her lips on top of each other and gestures with her head and eyes towards the street. “He’s in my school and he… Well…” Peter looks outside and sees a teen with slouched shoulders. He tries to hide himself in his over-sized black hoodie, but his eyes never leave the shop. _Oh, boy._  
“Is he bothering you?”  
“No! No, I mean yes, but… We dated.”  
“Dated?”  
“I broke us up three weeks ago, but now he won’t leave me alone.”  
“He’s stalking you.”  
“I wouldn’t call it stalking…”  
“I would.”

She looks at Peter now. Her jaw is tightened and the look on her face makes Peter want to punch this guy’s head in. She takes a deep breath and stands up.  
“The second pair was good. Yes. But that would mean I’d have to ring you up and you’d go away and Marie’s not back yet and I just-“  
“Hey, hey.” Peter puts his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere until Marie comes back, okay?” Her muscles relax under his touch and she looks down, rather embarrassed at all of this.  
“Thank you,” she whispers. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to bother you.”  
“You’re not, I’ve got nowhere else to be right now,” Peter lies. He promised Mr. Stark he’d swing by. Let’s hope he’ll let Peter’s tardiness slip this time. As he did the other… However many times Peter’s been late. “I got you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would love to hear what you think! Thanks for reading! <3


	3. Smoothies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter can't wait for his first ballet class. He should be excited for it because he'll be improving as Spider-Man, but he can't help feeling a warmth in his chest, knowing he will see the girl from the shop again.

“Mayyyy, come on!” Peter jolts up from his bed after receiving a video from her. He runs out of his room and finds his aunt May sitting with her legs up on the couch, an innocent smile on her face.  
“What is it, Peter?”  
“When did you take this?” He points at his phone. In the video is Peter himself, completely wrapped up in blankets, like a burrito, with just his head and one T-rex-like hand poking out. He’s stuffing his face with popcorn as the only thing that actually lights the scene is his laptop. His eyes are glued to the screen and a muffled orchestra plays Tschaikovsky. May smiles.  
“Why, last night of course! Didn’t think you’d ever watch something like Swan Lake.” May gets up swiftly and saunters to the kitchen. “I haven’t seen you this invested in a story since you saw Star Wars for the first time when you were eleven.”

“May, please delete it,” Peter begs, rushing after her. May calmly grabs two large glasses from the cupboard and starts cutting up some fruit.  
“Oh, I mean I could, but I was actually planning on sending it to Tony.” The fruit goes into the blender with a bit of milk and sugar. She turns it on and the loud whirring of the blades and the motor fill their ears.  
“No! No, please don’t do that!”  
“Whaaat?” She shouts over the white noise. She puts her hand next to her ear, dramatically pretending to try to hear what Peter says.  
“Please!” May stops the blender.  
“I won’t, don’t worry,” she laughs out loud, but her smile fades and she looks away. Peter spots the light in her eyes dimming a little. “It’s just for me. For when you’re out there.”  
“Out there?” Peter leans on the counter with his elbows. “You mean when I’m Spider-Man?” May stops in her tracks.  
“It’s not just hard for you, you know that right?” May looks at him with a frown on her face. Her eyes find his and the worry in her gaze stabs him through the heart like a dagger.  
“I know, I just… I can’t not be Spider-Man.”  
“Of course, Pete. Just… Oh, come here.” She pulls him in for a hug and holds him tight. “Just promise me you will always come back.” He hugs her back, pressing his forehead in her shoulder. His voice sounds muffled when he talks.  
“Promise.”

They hold their hug a little big longer until May suddenly lets go of him.  
“Oh, shit, the smoothies.” She continues preparing the beverages and Peter stares at her. She moves back and forth in the kitchen. The blender whirs some more and Peter ends up with a smoothie in his hand before he even realizes. May puts a little umbrella and a straw in the glass and she then moves on to her own drink. Peter looks down to his smoothie and stirs it with his straw absentmindedly.  
“I’m sorry.”  
“Don’t be.” May rinses the blender jar. “In any case I should be. All I do back here is worry while you are actually helping the world out there.”  
“Hey, hey, that’s not true.” Peter puts down his glass and walks over to the sink to take over rinsing the jar. “I should’ve realized you worry a lot. So that’s on me. Also, to what extent is your work with homeless people not helping the world?”  
“You kick ass, Pete! Literally!”  
“And so do you.” Peter smiles sincerely to May.  
“Oh, you-“ May fake kicks Peter on his ass and throws away the peels and other leftover parts of the fruit she used for the smoothie. Peter finishes washing up the blender jar and puts it back where it belongs.

A pleasant silence rests between them as they tidy up the kitchen. “So, what do you want to watch tonight?”  
“The girl from the shop told me to watch a few ballets. I was wondering if you’d be up for watching one with me?”  
“Don Quichot!”  
“The what now?”  
“If we’re watching ballet, we’re watching Don Quichot.” May smirks. “The only ballet that keeps me awake is Spanish ballet.” Peter laughs.

Alright!” They make their way to the couch and Peter starts looking for a good quality recording of a Don Quichot ballet online. They get comfortable in their seats, sipping their smoothies. May has her legs tucked in and Peter rests his feet on her lap. The opening music plays when May turns his head to him.  
“You keep calling her the ‘girl from the shop’. Are you really telling me you spent four hours in that shop with her and you never thought to ask for her name?” Peter’s cheeks turn bright red.  
“We were too busy talking.” Peter runs his hand through his hair and thought back to how she had called him Cinderella and how much that fit the current situation. They spent such a long time together, but when Marie returned to the store, he remembered he had to go see Mr. Stark, so he rushed out. _He didn’t even know her name._ “Apparently she also goes to Madame Touha’s.”  
“She does?”  
“Yeah.” Peter grins at the TV. Red and orange colours fill the screen and the bright lights turn on as the cast walk on. The warmth emitting from the stage mirrors the pleasant, soft feeling in Peter's chest. “I'm pretty sure I will run into her again.”

...

“Yo, Pete.” Ned excitedly fast-walks towards Peter, wiggling his eyebrows. Peter closes his locker and rummages through his backpack, shoving away his Spider-Man mask.  
“Hey, Ned!” Peter zips his backpack shut and looks at Ned who is practically bouncing where he stands. “Excited much?”  
“I…” Ned looks around to see if anyone else is listening. He inches closes to Peter and Peter leans in too. Ned smiles wide and whispers. “I got the new Lego Star Destroyer.” Peter pretends to be blown away by a silent explosion and leans back with his arms wide and a shocked expression on his face.  
“Yooo! You serious?”  
“Yeah, man! You won’t believe the detail on this thing.”  
“I gotta see it!”  
“Got the dentist after school today, so how about tomorrow?” Ned wiggles his eyebrows one at a time now. Peter has to catch himself before he says yes.

“D’ahh, I can’t actually do tomorrow.”  
“Wait, you can’t? Why?”  
“S- Stark Internship.”  
“Bad excuse, man. Bad excuse.” Ned shakes his head in a disapproving manner.  
“It’s true, though!” Peter tugs the sleeves of his shirt and bites the inside of his cheek. “In a way.” The bell rings and they move to class.  
“Elaborate,” Ned puts up an accent, which makes Peter chuckle. Ned’s the worst at accents.  
“I’m doing some, eh…” _Come on, Peter. You should be the Master of Excuses at this point. Think of something. Anything!_ “Mr. Stark wants me to learn some new skills to help me grow as Spider-Man. And that’s going to be my life on Tuesday afternoons from now on.”  
“Aww, man.” Ned drops himself at his desk, but collects himself quickly. “Wednesday then?” Peter thanks the ballet gods that Ned rolled with that.  
“Definitely Wednesday!”

...

The clock is ticking agonizingly slow. English Literature class was never this boring. All Peter can think of is his first ballet class after school and he feels a strange warmth in his chest. He really wants to see her again. He’s tried figuring out her name by envisioning her kind smile as she says “Hi, my name is-“ and going by a list of options in his head. Abigail? Jessica? What if she has a French name, like Lorraine? No, no, that’s not it. He scribbles in his notebook.

He thinks back to how her soft hands felt on his body when she readjusted the leotard. Her laugh when he admitted he knew next to nothing about ballet. The gleam in her eyes when she told him about ballets she finds worth watching as prep. He’s watched most of them now, bingeing all weekend. The only one he hasn’t seen yet is the Nutcracker; her absolute favorite. He wants to watch that one with her. Maybe, one day. He suddenly remembers his deal with Madame Touha and swears at himself softly. _No dating._ He couldn’t afford to crush on a girl he met once. Who knows, maybe he won’t even be in the same class as her. She probably won’t even like him back. He’s going to ballet class to get better at being Spider-Man, not for a girl. That’s the whole reason Madame Touha didn’t want him in the first place. He needs to put a stop to the roller coaster doing loops in his stomach, before he slips up.

“Mr. Parker, are you with us?” Peter sits up straight as he hears his name.  
“Yes, yes, I am, Mr. Decker.” He shuffles his papers. “I am.”  
“Well, then I’m sure you wouldn’t mind telling the class what Edgar Allen Poe meant with the passage I just read.”  
“Eh…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! <3


	4. Underwear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter gets a few beginner tips from the other boys from his class. Unfortunately for him they also like to play pranks on newcomers.

It’s busy at the entrance of the ballet school. Peter has to make his way in through a small crowd of girls with donut buns in their hair. They’re smoking right in front of the entrance. He holds his breath and gasps softly when he gets inside. He catches a whiff of his clothes. Even though he only passed the group of smokers, the scent is stuck in his shirt. _Great._ Now he’s going to have to explain to May why he smells like that. He didn’t notice the girls chuckling amongst each other while they stare at him, as he walked into the school.

Peter makes his way to the changing rooms. When he opens the door he’s met by two other guys putting on their ballet flats. They’re slightly younger than him.  
“Hey, you new?” The black boy grins at him. “Or lost?” He has tight, short curls, and a playful look in his eye.  
“New,” Peter ducks his head and walks to the bench, grabbing his backpack from his back.  
“Careful with Madame Touha,” the other guy says. He stands up and puts his hand out to Peter. “She generally doesn’t like new guys.”  
“So I’ve noticed,” Peter laughs and takes his hand. “Peter.”  
“Andres.” He gives Peter a firm handshake. “This is Miles. Been here since we learned to stand up straight.” Miles waves at Peter. _Ah, so these guys know their stuff._

“Any tips for a beginner?” Peter sits down on the bench, taking his ballet wear out of his backpack.  
“Stand in the back.”  
“And just do it.”  
“That sounds easier than it probably is.” Peter chuckles nervously as he fiddles with his leotard.  
“Nah, man. I mean, yeah, it’s hard as balls. But just don’t think about what you’re doing when you’re doing it.”  
“Exac,” Andres adds. “You learn ballet through repetition.”  
“There’s only so many moves and they all got their own name.”  
“Sounds intimidating, but alright.” Peter gets up to take off his pants.  
“Don’t worry, man, if you want this, you got this!” Miles finger guns at Peter as he walks towards the door. “We’re gonna warm up if you don’t mind.” Andres follows Miles to the door.  
“That’s okay!” Peter takes off his shirt. “I’ll see you there!”

Peter could’ve suspected what was going to happen next based on Andres’s cheeky smile. As he walks out he swings the door all the way open. It hits the wall, but doesn’t come back to close. Peter stares at the hallway, frozen in place, his shirt still in his hands. Right outside there are at least eight girls, waiting to enter the dance hall. Peter’s currently wearing nothing but his boxers. Most of the girls start squealing. Quiet panic rises in Peter’s stomach and he desperately tries to cover up.

“Hi! Hello, I’m so sorry, this wasn’t supposed to-“ He freezes again when he makes eye contact with the girl from the shop. _Oh, no._ She stares at him with wide eyes and her mouth slightly opened. Their gazes stay connected for a few more seconds until she blinks a rapidly a couple times and looks away, recollecting herself. She rushes through the crowd of girls towards the door and swings it shut.  
“Let’s get to class,” he hears her say through the door. The crowd responds by booing her, but they move away nonetheless. Peter lets go of the breath he’s been holding for a solid minute at this point. He drops himself back on the bench and stares at the leotard in his hands, processing what just happened.

Not much later he hears a knock. The door opens slowly, but no one’s at the other end.  
“Hey, uh…” It’s the girl from the shop. “You can’t exactly wear boxers under a leotard and leggings. It’ll show.” Peter looks down at his boxers. “I should’ve said that at the store, but I figured you’d know.”  
“Oh.” Peter doesn’t really know what else to say.  
“I suppose you don’t have any other underwear with you?” She clears her throat.  
“I, uh…” He looks at his backpack, his Spider-Man suit is skin tight, but the design on that usually hides his boxer lines. He obviously didn’t think this through. As with most things.  
“Here.” Her arm pokes through the opened door. She’s holding something skin-coloured in her hand. Peter gets up and walks to the door, slowly reaching for her. Their fingers brush past each other and she quickly pulls back when he takes the underwear from her. “Madame Touha usually has some spares lying around. It should be clean, I mean-“ she breathes. “It feels clean.” Peter stares at the door. “You need to bring them back clean, too.”  
“Right, got it.”

“Sorry about the others.” She closes the door a little further. “They like to play pranks on newcomers.”  
“It’s okay, I won’t hold it against them.”  
“Joke’s on Andres, though. You’re not bad to look at.” Peter freezes for what feels like the thousandth time today. He hears her swear softly. “I mean-“  
“Thanks,” he interrupts her and there’s a short silence. His thumb rubs the fabric of the underwear he’s holding. “I’m Peter, by the way.”  
“Daphne.” Her name echoes through his head and he smiles. _Daphne._

...

Peter’s first ballet class was downright embarrassing. It started with his introduction, which was awkward to say the least. He walked into the dance hall last, cause it took him longer to change with what had happened. All heads turned to him and he wanted to sink into the floor. He hurried towards the back of the class after the teacher, Madame Davina, introduced him and he decided to just focus on actually dancing. Keeping up with everyone else proved to be one of the biggest challenges he’s ever faced. And he’s Spider-Man. The underwear also happened to be incredibly uncomfortable. An obstacle he didn’t realize he had to keep in mind was restraint. He was used to pretending to be a puny nerd kid at PE, but this was on a whole other level. He had to focus every part of his brain on not jumping too high or kicking too hard.

Part of ballet means having your muscles tensed every second, while still making it look like you’re not clenching your butt cheeks off. Finding the right rhythm was hard as well. Most music he listens to has an obvious beat. All he has now is a piano, no clear beat at all. He doesn’t only have to count, but he also has to keep in mind that some parts of the music should be danced to based on how it feels. Nothing about that can be rationalized and all the other dancers seem to have that “feel the music” thing down quite well.

And the ballet terms. Oh, the ballet terms. Every single step has a name. This means that everything they do is explained to them in a string of French words of which Peter has no idea what they mean. He does everything he can to memorize them, but there are so many words thrown at him that he can’t even figure out where they start and end. _Chassé, assemblé, ara… Ara- what now?_ He must look like a total idiot. He definitely has a long way to go.

Peter drops to the ground when Madame Davina announces that class is over. He doesn’t even sweat this much as Spider-Man. How is he so exhausted? How is he already so sore?  
“Are you alright?” Daphne towers over him.  
“I knew this was going to be hard, but this…” He spreads his arms and legs on the floor, like a starfish, not able to finish his sentence. Daphne laughs.  
“Yeah,” she chuckles. “It’s a workout for sure.”  
“My brain is tired too.”  
“It’s a lot to take in. Will be for a few more classes.” She offers him her hand and smiles. “Get up, Cindy, we gotta go.”

Peter looks at the door and sees the next class waiting to enter the dance hall. He grabs her hand and she helps him up.  
“Tha- wait.” He stops in his tracks. “What did you just call me?” Daphne laughs, but her cheeks turn red.  
“I didn’t know your name before today. Been calling you Cinderella whenever I thought of you. With all the shoe-fitting, and all...” She realizes what she just said and her cheeks turn even redder.  
“You’ve been thinking about me?” He doesn’t even care that she called him Cinderella. _She thought about him._  
“Well-“  
“Daphne, Peter!” Madame Touha stands in the opened door. “Glad I caught you, I need to speak to both of you.”

All three of them enter Madame Touha’s office. Daphne seems rather nervous. Madame Touha sits down at her desk and sighs.  
“Daphne, you’ve been stagnating,” she starts. Why was Peter here if Madame Touha was going to scold Daphne? He shuffles awkwardly where he stands. “Your classmates have been progressing and you are stuck. How many rotations can you do in your pirouettes?” Peter can see Daphne’s jaw clench.  
“Three and a half, Madame.”  
“So three full rotations,” Madame Touha states. “While most of your classmates are at four or five.”  
“Right.”

“I don’t want to say this, Daphne, but if your classmates keep progressing and you’re not, the chances of you losing your scholarship will increase.” Madame Touha leans forward, resting her elbows on her desk. Daphne closes her fists. “And I know you can do it. You have the potential, the talent. You just… Don’t do it.” She raises an eyebrow at Daphne. “Why?”  
“I…” Daphne looks at her feet, embarrassed. Peter wants to run away. Why is he here? “I get too caught up in the music, I guess. I… I think too much.”  
“Those are two contradicting things, you know that.”  
“It’s one of those two, depending on the day.”  
“Right. Don’t get me wrong, dear. You dance beautifully. But you are not progressing.” Madame Touha crosses her legs. “The board wants to see you improve. Why do you think too much? What’s on your mind?”

_The stalker._

Everything suddenly clicks. Except for why Peter has to listen in on this. He feels like he’s intruding. He takes a deep breath and holds it.  
“David.”  
“The guy you dated for a solid week?” Madame Touha frowns. “Didn’t you break up with him a month ago?”  
“It’s nothing, I swear.” Now Peter clenches his jaw. She’s lying and Madame Touha knows it too. He can see it in her eyes.  
“Do you want to get back with him?”  
“No! No, that’s not it. He’s just… It’s not a big deal, I promise.” Daphne fiddles with her hands. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Madame Touha sighs and scratches her head.

“Alright then.” She turns her head to Peter, who quickly fixes his posture. “I want you to teach him the basics.” Peter’s mouth falls open.  
“What?” Daphne steps forward.  
“He needs to learn technique. You need to improve yours. One plus one equals two.” Madame Touha smiles. “The best way to learn is to teach.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was super fun to write, whoops!


	5. Saved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spider-Man had just sent a report to Tony Stark about his late night patrol, when he spots Daphne walking by herself. Her stalker is right behind her, so Spider-Man decides to swing her to safety.

Peter only does late night patrols on Wednesdays during the week. He usually reports back to Mr. Stark at around one in the morning and gets a little bit of sleep before school. He spent some time with Ned earlier, trying to figure out the base of the Lego Star Destroyer, but he still wanted to get in a few hours on the streets. It was rather quiet today, which means Peter is bored out of his mind. It's not that he wants people to do bad things, but it sure would keep him occupied on nights like this.

Tomorrow after school he once again has ballet class. He didn't plan to have classes twice a week until Madame Touha arranged that Daphne would teach him. Thursday is the only day of the week next to Sunday that there is no one else in the school. Daphne apparently already has a key of the building. Madame Touha must like her a lot to let her train after hours like that. After explaining the situation, Daphne seemed pretty eager to teach. Peter is worried about her, though. He doesn't want her to lose her scholarship based on the fact that there's an asshole out there, bothering her.

Peter realizes she didn't tell Madame Touha about David because Peter was also in the room and Madame Touha didn't know that he already knew. Daphne had thanked him for not saying anything about her stalker and all Peter could do was nod. David. He feels a strange fire in his stomach whenever he thinks his name.  
"Peter, it is one AM."  
"Send a report to Mr. Stark, please."  
"Report sent."  
"Thanks, Karen."  
"Anytime, Peter."

Peter's about to swing home when he spots Daphne, walking by herself. _What is she doing out so late?_ She's wearing a school uniform and clutching her bag to her chest. Luckily this is New York, the city that never sleeps. There are still quite a few people out and about, but it still makes Peter uncomfortable knowing she's all alone. Her pace is rather quick and Peter notices she tries not to look back.

That's when he spots him. The guy in the black hoodie, following her at about ten steps distance. The fire in his stomach is back and he squints as he drops himself from the tall building. He swings towards Daphne and lands right next to her, scaring her.  
"Woah!" She stops walking and stares at Spider-Man. The actual, real, Spider-Man. In front of her. Looking at her. Right here. Her heart is beating loudly in her chest and her mouth goes dry.  
"Evening, miss!" Peter salutes her and then wishes he didn't. _I'm an idiot._ "Let's keep walking, shall we?" Wearing the Spider suit makes him rather jumpy, but he tries to lower his voice a little to sound more mature.

"Uh-alright?" She continues her quick pace but Spider-Man keeps up easily. He doesn't say anything. "What are you doing here, Spider-Man? With me?"  
"Oh, y'know. Just being friendly. It's in the title." Daphne raises an eyebrow at him. His eye lenses close a little bit and then go all the way open. "Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man?" He pairs his remark with jazz hands and Daphne smiles nervously.  
"Gotcha." She looks at her feet as she walks, still holding on to her bag with tense arms.  
"I may have also noticed some creepy dude following you, so I wanted to ask if you're okay with me swinging you elsewhere?"  
"Wha-"  
"You don't have to say yes if you don't want to!" Spider-Man puts his hands up in defense. "But, eh..." He glances back shortly. "Even though I'm here, he's still right behind us." Daphne hides the bottom half of her face in her bag.

"Where would we go?"  
"Anywhere you want." He sounds sincere. "Within swinging distance, obviously." It's Daphne's turn to glance back and David is still there, right behind them, but far enough not to have heard Spidey's proposal. They make eye contact. It was only two seconds, but the look on his face was so intense. So dark. She feels a panic rising in her stomach and she turns back around, facing forward and walking even faster.  
"Please," she stutters. Peter gives her a worried look, which she can't see because of the mask. She's scared. He can hear her heartbeat thrum in his head and her breathing is erratic. His senses go into overdrive and his chest feels tight. Her anxiety is driving him insane. "Please, just get me out of here." She suddenly feels an arm around her waist.  
"Hold on to me," Spider-Man whispers determined. He then says something that sounds oddly familiar to her. "I got you."

Before she knows it, Daphne is swinging through the streets of New York. She has her legs wrapped tightly around Spider-Man's waist and if he wasn't stronger than a regular person, she would probably be strangling him with her hold. She represses her screams and buries her head in the crook of his neck. Whatever feeling she's experiencing in her stomach; she's not enjoying it. At all.  
"I'm not gonna drop you, I promise," he laughs. His arm is still wrapped tightly around her waist, keeping her up against him.  
"Don't say stuff like that!" she yelps.  
"Alright, Alright!" He looks at her and tries to stop himself from smiling. "We're almost there!"  
"Where's there?"  
"There!"  
"Not funny!"  
"No, literally! There! Look!" Daphne takes a peek and gasps when she sees all the rushing cars beneath them. She can't believe what she sees. They're on Brooklyn Bridge. "Goin' up!"

He puts her down gently when they reach their destination. On top of the Brooklyn Bridge. She pants, the adrenaline still racing through her body.  
"Are we even allowed up here?!" she asks, the panic still in her stomach. Spider-Man shrugs.  
"Probably not. I just come here to think." He turns to Manhattan and spreads his arms. "The view's what keeps me grounded." He then looks at Daphne and winks, which looks slightly odd with those lenses. "You know, with me swinging around constantly." Daphne breathes in the cold air and sits down on the edge. Knowing Spider-Man is there, makes her somehow less scared of falling.

"You do this with every girl you save?" she chuckles. Spider-Man's eyes grow comically wide.  
"Wha-" His eyes then quickly become tiny slits. "No, actually. You're the first one I've ever brought here."  
"You tell the other girls that too?"  
"No, no, I'm serious." He sits down next to her on the ledge, swinging his legs back and forth alternately. "I'm not as much of a ladies' man as I might seem."  
"You're Spider-Man. I'm sure there are many people out there who have the hots for you."  
"That's ridiculous, they don't even know what I look like."  
"No, but they like what you do." There's a short silence.

Peter doesn't really know how to reply to that without sounding either cocky or insincere. He also didn't exactly plan this out. He wasn't expecting to bring the girl he likes up to Brooklyn Bridge tonight. "Saving people, that kinda stuff. The mystery of the Man Behind The Mask is also something people find attractive, I guess."  
"I don't think they'd like me as much if they saw my face."  
"Well, if they don't like you based on who you are as a person and what you do for others, then they probably don't deserve you." She ponders. "Love based on looks is flat." _God, he's actually falling for her.  
_"You're wise for your age."  
"You sound younger than you look," she counters. Spider-Man shuffles, startled at her sudden remark. He stops swinging his legs and pulls one in, leaning his elbow on it.

"Maybe I am younger than I look," he bounces back, cocking his head. There's another silence, but it's not awkward. It's rather pleasant, actually. They both take in Manhattan after midnight. Engines roar beneath them and the string of car lights connect the bridge to the city. Daphne's and Spider-Man's shoulders touch gently. Peter never wants this moment to end. But it has to. "It's late," Spider-Man sighs. "Let's get you home."

It must've looked very funny: Spider-Man on the subway. Daphne wasn't ready for another round of web swinging, so when he carefully brought her down from the bridge, she opted to take the train. He didn't want to make her go by herself, so there they were. Sitting next to each other on the train, catching glances from confused travelers. Some wanted a picture with Spider-Man and Daphne gave him the space to take selfies with his fans.

"What's with the peace sign?" she chuckles when they walk up the stairs, out of the subway. This area of New York is very quiet. There are only a few people hanging around the subway station, but other than that, not much is going on.  
"Something I took over from Mr. Stark." Spider-Man simply states. "He started doing it after he became Iron Man and well... I kinda look up to him. A lot."  
"That's cute." Spider-Man looks at Daphne, but she can't make out what emotion he shows behind that mask. "You're a fanboy."  
"Wh- no, I'm not!" He jumps around her to her other side.  
"Yes, you are." She sticks out her tongue at him. "Nothing wrong with that. I hate to admit it, but I'm a bit of a fangirl myself. But for something a whole lot less cool than Tony Stark."  
"Oh?" Spider-Man cocks his head.  
"Ballet." She holds her bag in front of her face. "I love to dance."  
"Nothing wrong with ballet, right?"

Spider-Man starts to balance on every obstacle they pass as they walk. It's kind of like he's playing a solo game of The Floor Is Lava.  
"It's not really common to be into it, I guess."  
"Doesn't make it uncool." There's a silence. Spider-Man moves ahead of her, clutching to signs and tip toeing over half-walls.  
"I do owe a lot to Tony Stark myself, though." Spider-Man comes to a halt on top of a lamp post. He attaches his web to the curve and hangs upside down, his feet coming together at the web.  
"Really?" He glides down his web until he's right in front of her, blocking her path. "How so?"  
"My scholarship." Daphne straightens her back and walks past Spider-Man's upside-down head. She puts her backpack on her back and pulls the straps.

Peter lets go of his webs and hurries after her, genuinely interested in what she has to say. "The, uh... Stark Arts and Sciences Scholarship."  
"SASS?" Daphne laughs at his question.  
"Yes, SASS."  
"How very in character of him to call it that." This time Daphne stops walking as she realizes something.  
"Wait, you've actually met him, right?" She stumbles over her words a little. "Tony Stark?"  
"With this suit being his design, I'd be lying if I said no."  
"He made that?"  
"I don't think he actually used needle and thread, but yes!"

Daphne takes a step closer to him, studying the suit from up close. Without thinking, her hand touches his chest to feel the fabric. The street lights offer minimal help, so her fingers graze over the texture. She can feel him suddenly tensing his muscles. She looks up at his face, which she only now realizes is very close to hers. A nervous laugh escapes her mouth.  
"Are you actually flexing right now?"  
"Don't need to. I'm pretty ripped, to be honest." She laughs even harder at that.  
"Yet you still flexed!" This time she jumps around him.  
"Maybe I'm trying to impress a pretty girl?" He cocks his head again, his lenses comically growing larger and smaller at a rapid pace. She waves him off and continues strolling towards her apartment, smiling at her feet.  
"Sure, fam."

"This is it." Daphne stops in front of a pair of large doors. The tall building towers over them. Peter doesn't want to say goodbye yet.  
"Did I accomplish my mission?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, my horribly underpaid job is to save people. Did I save you?" Daphne chuckles.  
"Horribly underpaid? Don't you work for Tony Stark?"  
"I wish. It's an internship for now. Sometimes I get paid in churros, if I help a certain old lady cross the street."  
"Are they good churros?"  
"They are, actually." Peter's reminded of how he's pretty hungry right now. He should probably get something on the way back home.  
"Sounds like a solid payment to me then."  
"It won't exactly cover any type of rent and an actual side job is impossible to mix with being Spider-Man, but for now it'll do."  
"Kind of unfair, how you do so much work for New York, but you get nothing in return."  
"I get to meet a lot of kind people." Spider-Man looks at his feet and takes a breath.

"I don't do this for money, you know?" He says softly. She sends him an encouraging smile. "If you let something happen even though you have the power to do something about it, it happens because of you." She thinks about his words.  
"So, you feel guilty for being able to do all this stuff?"  
"I can't not be Spider-Man." This is the second time this week he's said that to someone he cares about. "So, I am." She offers him a kind smile and grabs his hand, holding it tight.  
"You can't save everyone."  
"That's the hardest part." It's almost a whisper. She wishes she could rip off the mask so she could see his face. His voice gives away a lot about how he's feeling, but she can't stand not seeing a pair of eyes. Real eyes. Not some mechanical camera lenses. She looks down at his hand that she's holding.  
"Thanks for bringing me home." She moves away to the big pair of doors. "You really did save me tonight, Spider-Man." He stares at her as she opens the doors and makes her way in.

"Before you go," he half shouts after her. She turns back at him. "If the creepy dude comes back to bother you, please call the police." A defeated smile crosses her face and she closes the door. She probably didn't expect Peter to hear it, but he read her lips before she turned away to leave him outside on his own.  
"I wish I could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably my favourite chapter so far. I love writing dialogue for these two! Let me know what you think!


	6. First Position

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned finds out about Peter's secret classes, much to Peter's embarrassment. Peter and Daphne have a bit of quality time before she actually starts teaching him the basics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love love love writing dialogue for these two! Hope you enjoy!

"Again?" Ned drops his lunch tray on the table. "You gotta be kidding me, man."  
"I'm sorry, I can't help it! Mr. Stark assigned me two classes a week without letting me know beforehand," Peter lies. He sits down next to Ned and fears more questioning, but then MJ throws her tray on the table next to where Peter sits.  
"S'up, nerds."  
"MJ," Peter laughs nervously. "Hi!" _And thank you!_ With MJ not knowing about Peter's Spider secret, Ned would have to stop asking questions. She flops down on the bench, making Peter nearly spill his drink.

"So, what's with the ballet flats in your bag, Pete?" She leans in with a grin from ear to ear.  
"Wha-" Peter's eyes grow wide and he swears inwardly, taking his _thank you_ back. "I don't have ballet flats? Why would I have ballet flats? I should really stop saying ballet flats. What are ballet flats?" Peter covers his mouth and looks away. His cheeks are on fire.  
"Peter Benjamin Parker." A gigantic grin grows slowly on Ned's face. His eyes sparkle mischievously. "You dance?" MJ snorts as she stuffs her face with mashed potato.  
"Duh," she says with her mouth full. "He probably has a leotard in his bag too."  
"Pete, show!" Ned reaches for Peter's bag but Peter quickly pulls it out of reach and presses it against his body.  
"No, no, no, no, I don't... I mean I do, but..." Peter hides his head in his hands. "I started this Tuesday." Ned's eyes grow wide, realizing what that meant. "Please, please! Don't tell anyone," Peter pleads, his hands pressed together.  
"There they are," Ned sighs. "The puppy dog eyes."  
"Please!"  
"Don't worry, nerd." MJ cocks an eyebrow. "Won't give Flash more to joke about."  
"Ned?"  
"My lips are sealed, bro."

Daphne isn't there yet when Peter arrives at the ballet school. This means he's going to have to wait outside, since she has the keys. He sits down on the stairs, staring at his phone. He kind of zones out, with the streets of New York as white noise in the background.

"Peter!" He looks up and smiles at the girl approaching him with a slight skip in her walk. Her ash blonde hair falls on her shoulders in gentle waves. They bounce with every graceful step she takes. Her bright smile fills Peter's chest with a warm, tingly feeling. "You're early."  
"I forgot there weren't other classes today." Peter puts his hand through his hair. "So, I was stuck outside. My last period got cancelled without a substitute, and it felt kinda weird to wait so long at school, to be honest. Figured I'd just go straight here." She walks up the steps and ruffles through her bag, looking for the keys.  
"You're lucky I'm early too, then." Daphne makes eye contact and the sparkle in her stare locks him in. She keeps their gazes connected for slightly longer than would be socially acceptable before she flutters and moves back to unlocking the door. "Stay here." She unlocks the door and moves in swiftly. The alarm beeps. Daphne moves to the panel next to the door and presses a couple buttons. The alarm stops. "Alright, you're good to go!" Peter doesn't waste a second and slips through the door, closing it behind him.

Daphne sits in front of one of the many mirrors in the dance hall when Peter walks in. He has changed into his ballet gear and he sits down with his legs crossed at Daphne's side in silence. He watches her intently as she puts her hair in a bun. She may think she's clumsy, but Peter is enthralled by her grace as she twists her ponytail and curls it into itself. He loses count of how many bobby pins she puts in there, but when she's done she turns to Peter and smirks.  
"Never seen a girl do her hair before?" Peter thinks of all the girls in school who put so-called messy buns in their hair before gym class, or the guy who put a braid in his best friend's hair to show off. But none of those situations compared to what he just witnessed.  
"Not like this," he says truthfully, his breath escaping his lungs. Daphne gets what he means and chuckles.  
"Messy buns are for outside of class." She scratches underneath the bun with her pinky. "Don't you have siblings? Or your mom?"  
"I, uh, live with my aunt." Peter frowns and looks away. He hates explaining this. "It's just the two of us."  
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"  
"I know, I know. It's okay." Peter hushes her by bringing his hands forward. He swallows and puts up a stern look, trying to act tough in front of Daphne. "My parents died in a plane crash when I was young and my uncle died a few years ago. So, yeah. It's just me and my aunt."

"Oh, shit." Daphne scoots closer to Peter, staring at him awkwardly. "I'm sorry I don't have anything more meaningful to say." She frowns and looks down. A short silence settles between the two. "I've never met my mom."  
"I'm sorry."  
"It's okay." He can feel her short breaths on his face and he feels like he's going insane. Why do his senses keep going into overdrive whenever he's around her? Up until now his heightened Spider sensitivity was never an issue, but with her next to him he can't contain whatever he's feeling.  
"My dad takes good care of me and my scholarship keeps us well funded." Peter realizes he has to pretend he has no idea what scholarship she is talking about. She told Spider-Man, not Peter Parker.  
"You got a scholarship?" Peter feels like it's the fakest thing he's ever said.  
"Yeah, the Stark Arts and Sciences Scholarship!" He looks at her, feigned amusement on his face. She smirks before she raises her voice. "SASS!"  
"SASS," he laughs.  
"I've been told it's very much like him to call it that." Peter's eyes shoot towards Daphne's face, trying to read her. _Should I?_  
"Who told you that?" A smile spreads across his face. She's quiet for a little bit, thinking over whether or not she should be saying this.  
"Spider-Man." Peter can feel the blood running to his cheeks.  
"Spider-Man? For real?"  
"Yeah, it's a crazy story, to be honest."  
"I got all evening!"

Peter is beaming with pride. The way Daphne talks about how Spider-Man saved her from David and the conversations they had on Brooklyn Bridge and the subway fills him with a newfound confidence he didn't even know he had in him.  
"So, what's he like?" Peter asks. The playful glimmer in his eyes makes her laugh.  
"Didn't I just tell you?"  
"I mean, yeah, yeah, but what do _you_ think of him? Like, personally?" She's a little taken aback by the question.  
"I guess..." She pushes her tongue against her teeth and looks up, trying to find the right words. "He thinks he's funny." _Wha- I am funny!_ "And sometimes he is." _Just sometimes?_ "His heart is in the right place, though." Peter is very aware his heart is where it's supposed to be, as it's pounding fast and loud in his chest.  
"Oh?"  
"Don't think I'd be able to cope living a life like his." She pulls her knees up to her chin. "He told me he feels a lot of guilt for what he can do and that that's why he does all of that crazy stuff." Peter frowns and looks at his hands. He's fiddling with his fingers. "But he shouldn't have to worry about saving anyone yet. I don't think he's much older than us." Peter looks up to meet Daphne's worried face. "He's very brave." Their gazes stay connected for a little bit and before he knows it Peter sighs.

_He's very scared._

"Let's warm up." Daphne gets up offers Peter her hand. "Can't tell Madame Touha that all we did was hang out." She walks to her phone and plugs it into the sound system. "What are we feeling today?"  
"What?"  
"Got most ballets on my phone, what music do you want to dance to?" Peter thinks.  
"Do you have Giselle?"  
"You've been studying!" Daphne grins, raising one eyebrow.  
"I've seen most of the ballets you recommended!" Peter does a slight jog towards Daphne, who's scrolling through the endless list of music on her phone. He hovers behind her, glancing over her shoulder, to see what's up.  
"And your favorite?"  
"Would you call me cheesy if I said Swan Lake?"  
"Maybe. But I like _Nut Boy_ the most, which is also super cheesy."

There was a short pause while Peter tried to process what she just said. It starts with a snort, but then he nearly falls over laughing as he moves to Daphne's front side. He stops himself. Only barely.  
"Did you really just call the Nutcracker 'Nut Boy'?!" A playful smile spreads across Daphne's face, which suddenly turns into slight terror.  
"Oh, shit, that sounded funnier in my head." Her face turns bright red when she realizes the double meaning behind it. "A-and not as dirty." She stammers through the words, hiding her face behind her phone. "Sor-" Peter grabs her hands and brings the phone down and away from her face.  
"Don't be sorry!" He reassures her with a kind smile. "I love bad jokes." He realizes how close their faces are together and he quickly moves back, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat. "I also really liked La Sylphide."  
"Yo, I haven't seen that one in forever!" She tries to ignore what had just happened, even though her face is still the same shade as it was when she realized her error. "I know what I'll be watching tonight."

Before Peter can step in with a snarky 'Men in kilts?', Daphne does a little jump. "Found it! Giselle!" She puts her phone down when the music starts playing and she guides him to the barre.  
"So, Madame Daphne, what will you be teaching me today?" Peter puts on the worst French accent Daphne has ever heard and she throws a leg warmer at him. He gets hit on his arm and laughs, sticking out his tongue through his teeth.  
"Lesson number one: no bad French accents." Peter nods, pretending to look like he's thinking very hard about what she's saying.  
"I'll work on that, then." The second leg warmer hits him in right in the face. He keeps his nose scrunched and eyes closed as the dance wear drops on the ground.  
"Lesson number two!" When Peter opens his eyes, she's standing right in front of him, her heels touching and toes pointing outward. Her arms are low, but curved. Her fingers barely touch. Peter tries to mimic her as best as he can. "First position."


	7. Distracted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friday evening equals tinker time with the one and only Tony Stark. It’s not like Peter to not talk about what’s bothering him. At first, Tony decided to let the kid tell him whenever he felt ready, but Tony can’t help but get slightly irritated with Peter obviously only pretending to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for a shit load of chapters, my dudes. I've been writing but I wasn't able to post till now.

Friday evening equals tinker time with the one and only Tony Stark. Peter often goes on patrol before he heads for the Avengers tower, but his mind is currently not where it's supposed to be. He headed straight to the lab after school. His excuse was that he has a new web fluid formula that he wants to try, but Tony knows something else is up. He's Peter's mentor. It's not like Peter to not talk about what's bothering him.

At first, he decided to let the kid tell him whenever he felt ready, but Tony can't help but get slightly irritated with Peter obviously only pretending to work.  
"If you want to use the lab, you're going to have to actually do something useful," Tony states, not looking up from his work. He gets no response and scoffs. He glances at the other side of the lab where Peter sits forward, leaning all his weight on his table. His cheek pushed up from being squished by his forearms.

"Kid?"  
"Yeah, yeah..." Peter is scribbling in his notebook. It's blatantly obvious he's not actually paying attention.  
"Are you even hearing me?"  
"Uh-huh..."  
"I'm gonna sell your suit to Flash."  
"Great idea." Peter stops scribbling and frowns, finally looking up from the paper. "Wait, what?"  
"Oh, so that you hear." Tony gets up from his chair. It wheels backwards as Tony takes big strides towards Peter, who scrambles to sit upright.  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. I'm just-" Peter looks down, embarrassed. "Distracted."  
"So I've noticed." Tony walks to the mini fridge and opens it, assessing its contents and settling on two cans of coke. He shuts the fridge door with his foot and tosses Peter a can. Peter catches it with ease. "Anything I need to know?"

Tony leans against Peter's desk, cocking his head and raising an eyebrow.  
"It's stupid." Peter opens the can, but doesn't take a sip. He taps his foot compulsively.  
"Well, I can't have a distracted mind in my lab," Tony says, gesturing at Peter. "Cause it distracts me. So you either talk or you go home." Tony chugs half the can and places it on Peter's desk. The kid looks at him with doe eyes and Tony can't help but sigh. "Look, I've got quite a few years on you. Maybe I have useful advice." Peter pushes his tongue against his teeth, glancing away.  
"There's this girl..."  
"Hoo, boy." Tony gestures to his desk chair, which automatically rolls towards him. He sits down in it, across from Peter. "I'm the last person you should be going to for romance tips, to be honest." Tony pulls his hands through his hair and leans forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "But you can always talk to me."

Peter has his lips pressed on top of each other. He has no clue what to say. He's sitting across the man who was once known as one of the greatest playboys.  
"Come on, Pete." Tony gives him a pat on the knee. His eyes glimmer with genuine curiosity. "What's she like?"  
"She's..." Peter leans against the back of his chair, looking up to see if there are any words on the ceiling to describe her. But there aren't any. He sighs deeply. "Everything."  
"Oh, is she now?" Tony smirks cheekily.  
"She makes me feel things I didn't know I could feel?" Peter poses it as a question, because he has absolutely no clue what he's feeling. "I don't know how to describe it." Tony looks at him, slightly amused at the puppy love. "It's just..." Peter frowns. "I've had crushes before I got bitten. But this time it's different." Peter puts the untouched can on his desk.  
"How so?"  
"The Spider bite heightened all of my senses. Everything is way more intense than it used to be." Tony starts to understand where this is headed. "So now I feel like I'm going to explode whenever we touch."  
"Do you evade her?"  
"No, no, the opposite." Peter leans forward again and his breath hitches. He puts his hand through his hair. "As much as I hate the feeling I also... Kind of like it."  
"Does she even know you exist?" Peter chuckles at the question.  
"She definitely does."

"Wait, did you meet her at that ballet thing you're doing now?" Peter jolts upright, eyes wide.  
"You know about my ballet classes?"  
"Yeah, Karen put it in last week's report."  
"...Oh..." Peter stares at Tony, his mouth slightly opened.  
"Do you ever check the reports she makes?" Peter closes his mouth and looks at the can resting on his desk.  
"Not really."  
"That explains a lot." Tony coughs and gets up, thinking back to a few reports that should probably never be brought up. He frowns at the kid and sends his chair back to his work bench. He grabs a small stress ball from Peter's desk and starts throwing it at the wall repeatedly. It bounces right back into his hand every time. "So. Ballet girl?"  
"Yeah." Peter fiddles with his fingers. "We have class together on Tuesday and she teaches me the basics on Thursdays."  
"Wait, so on Thursday it's just the two of you?" Peter nods, his mouth dry.

Tony laughs, but stops when he suddenly sees Peter's shoulders droop. His face is a mixture of anger and sadness. He clenches his hands into fists and his knuckles turn white.  
"She has a stalker."  
"What, you?" Tony jokes, trying to lighten the mood. Peter furiously shakes his head.  
"No." Tony catches the ball and lets it drop to the floor.  
"Has she called the police?"  
"She says she can't." Peter bites the inside of his cheek. "I can't help her, but I want to." Tony sighs and puts his hand on Peter's shoulder.  
"The hard part about our jobs is that we can't help everyone, no matter how much effort we put into it." He clears his throat and grabs his can from Peter's desk with his free hand. "It's important that you're there for her when she needs you." Tony raises one eyebrow. "Or, you know, the other you."  
"Shouldn't you be telling me I need to keep my secret?"  
"Once again, I'm the last person to give you advice on that. Remember the 'I am Iron Man' press conference? That was a joyous day." Tony turns to walk back to his own work bench. "Though, yes, you should probably not be telling anybody." Peter leans back into his chair again, staring at the scribbles he'd drawn in his notebook.  
"Right."

"Oh, and Peter?" Tony puts his legs up his desk and his laptop on his lap. Peter looks at Tony, waiting for what he's going to say next. "Figure out her favorite flower, but don't give her an entire bouquet. Start with one." Peter smiles wide.  
"Thanks, Mr. Stark."


	8. Assessment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Madame Touha assesses Peter's progress and decides to think about a certain proposition for him and Daphne. David shows up after ballet class.

Peter learned the basics of ballet rather quickly. Once he knew the names that are attached to certain poses and moves, he could pretty much just follow along. His main focus is currently the aesthetic part. He does what he has to do, but – as Daphne called it – he needs to do it prettier. In the second private class he had from Daphne, she taught him how to prepare for a pirouette. She told him the difference between a _pirouette en dedans_ and a _pirouette en dehors_ and how he can make his momentum work in his favor. That night he couldn't stop feeling a weird, intense tingling sensation where her hands had touched his hips, to position him correctly. He tried everything, from laying on his stomach to trying to aggressively rub a wash cloth over his hip bones. But the moment he let go of his hips he could feel her hold on him again. He eventually resorted to laying on his back with his hands on his hips. It felt like it looked idiotic, but at least he was able to fall asleep that way.

He still didn't know her favorite flower. He couldn't exactly just walk up to her and ask. That'd be weird, right? Peter didn't want to give the flower to her openly, as he still had the deal with Madame Touha. He also figured leaving the flower anonymously with her stuff while she isn't looking, wouldn't exactly get the right response with the stalker still walking around. Peter will do the flowers later. She let slip that she really likes Twizzlers, so Peter brought a packet to their third private class together for them to share. Who says the stomach's the way to only a man's heart? Peter told her to keep the leftovers and she promised him she'd bring something he'd like the next time. He didn't recall ever telling her anything about what he liked to eat, so he was rather curious about what kind of surprise she'd bring.

"Peter." Madame Touha appears in the door during a small break of the class. "Can you stick around a little longer so I can do an assessment of your development?"  
"Yeah, that's okay!" Peter had just sat down to take a sip from his water bottle. He wiggles his legs to keep them warm. Peter hates to admit that he's nervous. What would she do with the outcome of the assessment? If he's not good enough, will she send him away? He bites his lip. Daphne elbows him softly and offers him a kind smile. His arm starts flushing where she touched him.  
"You'll ace it."

All the students pour out of the dance hall. The class that's usually after Peter's had been moved to one of the other rooms so Touha could use this one for her assessment. At this point he's a bouncing ball of nerves. Daphne waves at him one last time before heading to the changing rooms and then it was just him and Madame Touha in the dance hall.  
"So," she starts. "Daphne told me you're a quick learner and that you are more flexible than you look." Peter nods.  
"I've been working very hard, Madame." He puts his weight on one foot. "Also maybe a little hyper-flexible." Madame Touha raises an eyebrow at him and he shrugs. "Didn't really know that was a thing until Daphne told me."  
"Right." Madame Touha walks to the sound system and plugs in her phone. "Let's start with a simple step sequence."

None of it was simple. Absolutely none of it. Madame Touha made him do short choreo sequences that were more difficult than the ones he'd do in class. At this point he didn't know if she made it this hard for him because she wanted to actually test him, or that she wanted him gone. He is durable, though. And has incredible stamina. He took whatever she threw at him. He even threw back a snarky "that's not a basic step" when she told him to do a cabriole leap at a ninety-degree angle. "I can show you a regular one, though." He wasn't going to let her win this. He wanted to keep going to these classes. For Spider-Man and for Daphne. He wouldn't give up.

"Alright, Mr. Parker." Madame Touha sighs and turns off the music. "You win." Peter finally allows himself to breathe properly. The sweat trickles down his face and back. He feels absolutely disgusting right now, but it was for a good cause. "You really are working hard for this." Peter smiles and makes another leap in his head. "And, as much as I hate to admit it," Madame Touha starts. She turns off the sound system and walks Peter to the door of the dance hall. "You have a very positive influence on Daphne."  
"I do?"  
"Her technique's already improving again and her mood seems better than it used to be." Madame Touha stops in her tracks and turns to Peter. "Keep her happy, okay?" Peter can feel his heart beat in his head. What does that mean? "She'd been acting off ever since she broke up with that David fellow. You seem to make her feel more at ease. If I find out you're taking advantage of her, you'll be expelled immediately."  
"I'm not! I promise Madame."  
"Good." Peter presses his lips on top of each other, pondering about whether or not he should be telling Madame Touha this. To be fair, it would only clear things up, so he might as well.

"I met Daphne at the ballet wear store she works at on the weekends. I only found out we both go here because she told me." Madame Touha turns to him with a questioning look on her face. "We were both surprised you paired us up for the Thursday classes. We thought it wasn't a coincidence." Peter pauses. "Was it?"  
"It was very much a coincidence." She thinks for a second and then suddenly a warm smile appears on her face. "Maybe it was all just meant to go like this." Peter feels the blood rush to his face.  
"M-Maybe." Madame Touha chuckles and then waves him off as she walks to her office.  
"I'm going to think about a proposition for the two of you. Go home, Peter. It's late."  
"Wait, what kind of-" Madame Touha slams the door shut, leaving Peter in the empty hallway.

Peter took a shower in the changing room before putting on his regular clothes. He shuts the door to the changing room behind him but pauses when he sees there's still light coming out of the women's changing room. Everyone else but Madame Touha has gone home, so there's no reason for the light to still be on. The light switch for the changing room is outside and he decides to turn it off. No one's in there anyw-  
"EEK!" Peter flips the switch back on and the door is thrown open. He has to quickly step out of the way to not get hit in the face by the large wooden door.  
"Daphne!" He squeaks when he sees her stumble out the changing room. She has a bewildered look on her face.  
"Why'd you turn the light off?!"  
"I thought no one was in there anymore!"  
"Well, I was!"  
"How was I supposed to know?!"  
"You could've knocked!"  
"I guess I could've!"  
"And-" Daphne wants to yell another argument, but stops as she realizes what he said. "Wait, what?" Peter breathes out slowly, taking a step back.  
"You're right, I should've knocked." Daphne stares at him with absolutely no clue what to do about the sudden diffused situation. People don't usually tell her she's right. She looks at her toes, ashamed of her sudden outburst.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled."  
"It's okay, don't worry. I'm sorry for not knocking first." Peter gently grabs her by the shoulders till she looks up at his face. His hands warm up and start tingling, but he ignores the feeling. She has the same look on her face as she did when he swooped in to save her as Spider-Man. His stomach turns into an endless pit. _Not again._ "Why are you out here so late? Everyone else is already home. Shouldn't you be too?" Tears well up in her eyes and she throws herself against his chest without warning, clutching her arms around his body in a tight hug.  
"David," she whispers.  
"It's okay," Peter says as he wraps his arms around her. His whole body heats up and starts becoming slightly overwhelming, but he pushes it away. Daphne is the only thing that matters now. "I'm right here, he's not gonna hurt you." He softly puts his cheek down on top of her head. "I won't let him."  
"He's outside," she sobs into his shirt. Peter's head shoots up to glare through the glass doors. Surely, a figure in a black hoodie ghosts across the street. Peter tightens his jaw, but relaxes again when he takes a deep breath. He gently pushes Daphne away from his chest until she looks him in the eyes again. She leaves behind a burning heat. He holds her head in his hands and wipes away a tear with his thumb.  
"I'll walk you home," he says determined. She leans into his hand and holds it with her own.  
"Please, don't let go," she whimpers quietly.  
"I won't, I promise." He hugs her again, giving her time to calm down. He wants to press a kiss on top of her head, but he holds back. It's probably the last thing she needs. His entire body is on fire, but that's not important right now. Daphne is important. He whispers. "I got you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Catch me sprinkling the "I got you" line in this fic a hundred times. <3


	9. Focus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne explains her situation with David, but the conversation doesn't end the way Peter hopes it would.

"Ignore him," Peter mumbles as they walk out. Unsure if he said it to Daphne or to himself. He wants to punch the guy in the face. Peter has his arm wrapped around Daphne's shoulder, holding her tightly to him. She once again has her backpack in front of her, clutching it with both arms.  
"I'm trying." She lets her head rest against Peter's arm as they walk to the subway with a quick, steady pace. Peter's senses are going into overdrive. Next to Daphne's ghost being all over him from when they hugged, he also feels a strange tingle, like there's danger lurking behind them.  
"Don't look back," he urges. "Keep your eyes forward." Daphne sniffs and nods, her breath hitches in her throat.

Wherever they walk or wait, Peter always stands between Daphne and David, shielding her from his stare. They get into the train and Peter guides her to the corner, where she leans against the wall. That was a mistake. She spots David on the opposite side of the train and their eyes lock. He's angry. Very angry. It feels like she got kicked in the stomach and she stops breathing.

"Peter." His name barely escapes her lips and he immediately moves so that she can't see David anymore.  
"Hey, hey, look at me." He says, closing the space between them. She looks him straight in the eyes and feels his hands on her arms. They're nice. And somehow very warm. "Focus on me." She nods slowly, not breaking eye contact. She matches her breathing with Peter's and she feels her heartbeat slow down. She has no idea how fast or slow time is going right now. All she sees is him. The intensity of his gaze swallows her whole. His brown eyes are deep and warm. It feels like there's no one else around them, even though the train is crowded with people. Their noses nearly touch and she feels his breath on her skin. It's just the two of them now.

They both jolt back to reality when the robotic voice announces their stop. Peter takes a step back, letting go of her arms. Already?  
"This is it." Daphne clears her throat and stretches her back. She turns to the train doors.  
"Right, right." Peter pulls his hand through his hair and shuffles in place.

The train comes to a halt and they both get out. Daphne rearranges some things in her backpack on the platform and the train doors close behind them. Peter looks up for a second and spots David as the train starts moving again.  
"You alright?" she asks. _No._ His entire body is screaming at him from all the physical attention he's been getting from Daphne.  
"He's still in there." Peter states and he looks back at her. All of her muscles relax.  
"Thank God," she sighs. "I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time, Peter."

She starts walking towards the stairs. He follows blindly.  
"Don't worry about it."  
"No, really. I shouldn't be bothering you with any of this."  
"You're not bothering me, Daph," Peter laughs. "And I mean it." They reach the top of the stairs and Daphne puts her backpack on her back again instead of clutching it to her chest. She notices Peter's stare.  
"David used to put stuff in it while walking behind me, so when I know he's around I don't have it on my back."  
"Stuff?"  
"Poems."  
"Poems." Peter repeats. "Why poems?"  
"He's a writer." It's obvious Daphne doesn't like talking about him, but Peter doesn't want to give up now. He needs to know more.

"How do you know him?" She stops walking and frowns. Her head turns to Peter and she sighs.  
"He's in my class."  
"Wait, so you go to the same school?" Peter leans against a lamp post.  
"We have the exact same curriculum." Peter's mouth falls open at that remark.  
"What? How?" She resumes her walk, tightening the straps of her backpack around her shoulders.  
"Everyone with the Stark Scholarship gets the same curriculum at my school." Peter chokes on the air he's breathing.  
"You're telling me the guy is getting funded by Tony Stark?"  
"He sings opera and he's an amazing writer!"  
"He's a stalker, Daphne!" She flinches. "Why won't you call-"  
"I tried!" She yells. Standing still again. "I tried," she repeats softly, her voice shakes. Peter furrows his brows.

"Explain. Please."  
"I've emailed the school countless times. Even went to see the principal." She pauses, her face scrunches in disgust. "They told me to delete the emails and shred the poetry. That it's not so bad. That he'll get over it."  
"Wha- why won't they help you?"  
"He's their best student, of course they're not gonna believe me." Peter grabs her hand and looks her straight in the eye.  
"You have evidence of him stalking you and they don't believe you?"  
"It's not that simple."  
"Then what makes it difficult?!" She rips her hand from Peter and starts walking away from him. Fast. He rushes after her, swearing at himself when he sees how close her apartment is.

"Go home, Peter," she orders. She runs up the stairs. Fumbling with her keys.  
"Daphne, talk to me," Peter begs. "Please." He follows her up the stairs in a sprint as she opens the door. She blocks his path by turning back around to him, but she doesn't look at him.  
"Thanks for bringing me home." She shuts the door in his face and walks away, leaving Peter behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch.


	10. The List

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony has never seen Peter this angry before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more Tony content cause I love his sass and he's Pete's mentor so ayoo.

"Spider-Man is climbing Avengers Tower, sir."  
"Oh?" Tony Stark twirls in his chair, pushing himself away from his desk. "Don't recall making an appointment with him."  
"Do I deny access?"  
"Nah, F.R.I.D.A.Y., you can always let him in."  
"Noted." A window opens and Spider-Man swiftly jumps in, landing like a feather.  
"Those ballet classes are paying off, I see?" Tony's smirk falters when he notices Spider-Man's aggressive body language. He gets up quickly. "Peter?"

Peter rips his mask off and throws it in the corner. His eyes are red and his cheeks are puffed. He's been crying. Tony rushes towards him. "Kid, are you okay?"  
"How is the Stark Arts and Sciences Scholarship set up?" His voice cracks and it sounds more like a demand than a question. Tony's taken aback by this side of Peter. He's never seen him this angry before.  
"The Stark-" Tony stops and thinks, remaining completely calm. "Right, yeah, let me see." He walks to his computer, Peter follows quickly, ghosting behind him. Normally Tony would've told the kid to back away a little, but this is different. He seems different. Tony searches for the right file and puts it up on the big screen. "It's Pepper's baby, so I can't tell you much about it, but this is the graph." Peter squints at it. The scholarship is set up in different gradations. The lower the number, the more funding the student gets.

"I need a list of student names."  
"I can't just give you that, you know that." Peter clenches his fist and looks down.  
"Dammit."  
"Woah," Tony drops himself into his chair. "Who knew Peter Parker could swear." Peter glares at Tony. He, in return, raises his eyebrows and clears his throat. "Right." He gets straight up out of the chair again and looks at the screen. "Through the scholarships I fund a hundred students. They are assessed every year by a board of professionals. I suppose you want to know where Daphne's at?"  
"And one other."  
"Who?"  
"I only know his first name," Peter mumbles. Tony sighs and pushes his hand through his hair.  
"I can't just show you this stuff, Pete. At least tell me what's up with the attitude." Peter drops himself on the floor in defeat, pulling in a leg.  
"The school knows about the stalker." Peter talks softly now, but his muscles are still tense. "But they told Daphne to destroy the evidence." Tony cocks his head.  
"And you want to see the list because he might be on it?"  
"She said he's an opera singer and writer." Tony scratches his beard, understanding what Peter means with this. He walks to Peter and offers his hand. "Well then, let's check the list, shall we?"

Tony scrolls past all the names. Peter isn't allowed to look for privacy reasons. He impatiently takes multiple tiny sips from the glass of water Tony got him.  
"Found Daphne," Tony says suddenly. Peter looks at him expectantly. "She's actually quite high up, spot 19." Tony reads some more, his eyes rolling over the words. He scoffs. "I didn't know Pepper kept such detailed assessments on all these kids." Peter raises his eyebrows. "Got reports on her progress, her grades, everything." Peter keeps quiet and looks at the half full glass in front of him. Tony starts laughing. "I really should start paying more attention to where my money goes to."  
"She's worth every single penny, Mr. Stark." Peter says determined. There's a sparkle in his eyes that makes Tony smile. "Probably even more."  
"I'm joking, kid. I just didn't know the scholarships were this elaborate." Tony scrolls further and further through the list of names. His brows furrow.

"David, you said?"  
"Yeah."  
"There's only one David on the list." Tony blows up his cheeks and forces out the air with a loud noise. "He's right below you, in the number two spot."  
"Wait, what?" Peter stands up from his chair. "I'm on the list?"  
"Of course you are, how else do I justify spending all this money on a random kid from Queens?"  
"I thought I interned here?"  
"Yes, you do. The highest arts scholarship gets an internship that fits their art and the highest science scholarship gets an internship that fits them!" Peter stares at Tony, wide-eyed. "I can't just take one intern and never specify what he does for me. People ask questions, kid. So many questions."  
"Are you telling me-" Peter swallows and slightly shakes his head. "-that you created an entire scholarship system to keep my identity a secret?" Tony shrugs sheepishly.  
"The scholarship already existed, Pepper just put you at the top of the list."  
"Unbelievable."

Peter leans back in his chair, rubbing his gloved hands on his face. He stares at the ceiling, trying to process just how much money Tony actually spends on him. When they had first met, Tony told Peter that money would be involved. The deal was that he would fund all of Spider-Man's activities. This, however, was on a whole other level.  
"We got no dirt on David," Tony says suddenly. Peter sits back up straight and looks at Tony. "His reports are completely clean. Never a mention of any complaints made towards him or even a hint that he could be a psychopath."  
"What do we do?"  
"Can't just scratch him off the list, Pete. He already works at the Met as an intern. Without any evidence there's no ground on which we can stop this." Peter groans, dropping himself forward onto the desk.  
"Nooo..." He whines.

"It's absurd," Tony scoffs. "If what you say is true and the guy is indeed a nut job, then the school is monitoring his records and keeping it clean in order to keep receiving my money."  
"Isn't that illegal?"  
"It's _fraud_, kid." Tony closes his laptop rather aggressively and stands up. "Very illegal." Tony walks around the desk to get to Peter and then leans against it. "Need anything else? Otherwise I'm gonna go have a talk about this with Pepper." Peter looks at his hands in his lap. He's quiet for a second.  
"Sorry for being mean to you, Mr. Stark."  
"Eh, I've been handled worse." Tony waves his hand. "Good to have the real you back, though. Anger does _not_ suit you." He moves his chin down, still looking at Peter, and raises his eyebrows. "Like, at all." Peter chuckles, but his smile fades. Tony hated seeing Peter like this. Something was still bothering him.

"Why were you crying when you came in?" His tone is serious and Peter is startled by the unexpected question.  
"Well..." He rubs his arm. Thinking back to what happened earlier that evening. "Daphne yelled at me."  
"Why would she?"  
"I pressed with too many questions about David."  
"You don't just ask a girl about her stalker, Pete."  
"She threw a door in my face." Peter wipes his nose and Tony can't help but laugh out loud.  
"First of many to come." He puts his hands on his hips. "I had my fair share of nose bleeds cause of doors combined with angry women."

"How do I make this right?"  
"Flowers."  
"Is that all the romance advice you give?"  
"Floweeers!" Tony sing songs as he walks towards the door. "Just try it, kid. Maybe carnations?" Peter gets up and walks to the window he used to come in, grabbing his mask from the floor.  
"You're the worst, Mr. Stark." Tony opens the door and walks into the hallway, a shit eating grin on his face. Peter pauses before he pushes the glass to open the window. He can't help but smile before putting his mask on and jumping out. "Thank you."


	11. The Science Guy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter gets overwhelmed from Daphne's touch again, but this time he can't take it anymore. Madame Touha finally brings up the proposition.

Peter waited outside the ballet school for what felt like forever. Usually they both showed up too early for their private classes, but this time it was just him. They should've started over half an hour ago. He sits on the stairs, staring at the one white carnation that he bought. He twists it with his fingers, studying the veins in the leaves. The half hour turns into forty-five minutes. Forty-five minutes turn into an hour. He won't leave. He's not going to give up.

Suddenly a pair of feet stop right in front of him. He looks up and makes eye contact with Daphne. She has her lips pressed on top of each other and her brows are curled into a frown. Peter wants to say everything that's on his mind, but he can't get the words out. He just sits there, flower in hand.  
"Sorry I'm late," she says softly. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to come." _Ouch._  
"I'm glad you're here." He stands up slowly. "And I'm sorry about Tuesday."

He offers her the carnation, but she just stares at it, torn about whether or not she should accept it. She swallows. Instead of taking the carnation, she moves past him and walks to the door. She opens it, turns off the alarm and walks back out to Peter, who's still standing there with the carnation in his hand.  
"Me too," she whispers. She gently takes the carnation out of his hand and to Peter's surprise she grabs the hand he held the flower in and leads him inside.

Peter sits on the bench in the changing room and he stares at his hand. He can feel his blood pumping through it in tune with his heartbeat and it's _very_ warm. He rubs his thumb over his fingers, turns it into a fist and relaxes it again. Her hand was so soft. So gentle. So nice... Too much. Peter jolts to his feet and rushes to the sink. He turns it on and twists the tap to as cold as possible. He forces his hand under the icy stream and whimpers through the freezing cold.  
"Peter?" Daphne asks from the other side of the door. "Are you alright in there?"  
"Y-Yeah!" Peter stutters as he turns off the water and rips several paper towels from the device on the wall. He rubs his hand aggressively to get the overwhelming sensation out of it. "I'll be there in a minute!"

Daphne studies the carnation up close, quite similar to how Peter did before. Peter's 'minute' has turned into five minutes and she can still hear him stumbling through the changing room. As if on cue, Peter barges out the door, his face is flushed and he pants.  
"Woah," she gets up from her chair and walks to Peter. "What were you doing in there? Are you okay?" When she reaches out to him, he takes a step back, raising his hands in defense. He looks almost scared of her.  
"Please don't touch me anymore."  
"What?" Daphne takes a step back, completely confused and slightly hurt.

"I-" Peter pauses, looking around frantically. "I'm hyper sensitive."  
"Hyper... Wha- since when?" She looks at his hand and sees it's bright red.  
"I don't know," he whimpers. "But it's only when I'm around you." He then realizes what he said and panic rumbles in his chest. "I mean- I've been way more sensitive than normal people for a while now, but you seem to send my nerve endings into overdrive when you touch me." _Peter, just STOP talking. You're only making this worse!_

"Peter..." Daphne looks worried, but less confused than she was before. "Follow me." She turns around and takes small strides to the dance hall. He follows without thinking, but staying a good bit away from her. When they get in the dance hall, she places the carnation in a glass and without warning she takes off the straps of her leotard. She pushes it down to her hips, exposing her skin, her back still towards him. She's not wearing a bra.  
"Woah, woah, what are you do-"

The scars on her back stop Peter from continuing. They're elaborate. Peter tries to figure out what he's seeing. Branches? Frost?  
"What the-"  
"I got struck by lightning as a kid." Peter's eyes are glued to her back. "Don't ask me how I survived cause I have no clue."  
"Nine out of ten people survive being struck by lightning," Peter mumbles, his eyes following the detailed lines of scarring. He can't look away and takes a step closer without realizing.  
"I have regular check-ups with my doctor." Daphne keeps looking ahead, her jaw is tightened. Is she nervous? "I was in a coma for a few days and had some short-term memory loss. But no long-term effects. Yet."

Peter has a weird urge to touch the scar, but holds back.  
"It's a Lichte-"  
"Lichtenberg scar," Peter finishes, still completely fixated.  
"Yeah." A silence settles between the two of them and Peter forces himself to snap out of it.  
"Why did you show me this?" Her head turns towards him and Peter has to do everything he can not to look in the direction of her bare chest.  
"Ever since I got hit I've been more, uh..." She frowns, trying to find the right words. "Electrically charged than normal people." She clears her throat. "Not that I have super powers or anything, fuck, I wish." She rushes to put the straps back on her shoulders again so she's covered. She turns to Peter who's still stuck in his place. "I once tried charging my phone by putting it on my back, but it didn't work," she jokes. Peter's stern look finally vanishes as he laughs.  
"Would've been awesome if it did."

"Get your own Daphne Portable Charger at your local Target!" She puts on an over the top television presenter voice and adds in some dramatic hand gestures. "Only 29,99!" Peter covers his face with his hand as he laughs out loud.  
"To be honest, that's quite the bargain for a charger that literally lasts a lifetime."  
"You know it, pal!" Daphne finger guns.  
"Time for a career change to infomercial presenter." Peter turns away, tears prickling in the corners of his eyes. Daphne clears her throat when they both finally finish laughing.

"You're a science guy, right?"  
"Yeah?"  
"So, you get what I'm getting at?" Daphne points at her back. "With the electricity stuff?"  
"I mean, I think so? Everyone has electricity running through their bodies, like with brains sending electric pulses to different parts of itself." Peter looks at his red hand. "My sensitive nerve endings feel that electricity to a certain extent. So, with you having more intense electricity flowing through your body, my nerve endings become overstimulated."  
"Please, don't say that word."  
"What word?" Peter sticks out his tongue, a mischievous grin spreads on his face.  
"You know damn well what word I'm talking about, Parker!"  
"Hey, hey, you're the one that made it gross. I'm the science guy, right? I use science-y terminology."  
"Fine!" She throws her hands up, turning around to grab her phone so she can plug it into the sound system. "Still gross, though!"

Next to her phone stands the glass of water with the white carnation sticking out. Peter smiles at his feet.  
"Let's use our last half hour to actually do something productive."  
"Sounds like a good plan." Peter makes his way to the barre. She puts on a playlist from La Bayadère and walks towards Peter. She walks around him in a big curve and places her hand on the barre.  
"Let's agree to just... Not touch each other," she says with a frown. Peter laughs sheepishly, trying to hide his disappointment. His hand is still tingling.  
"Yeah, let's not."

...

"How okay are you with touching each other?" Madame Touha had called Peter and Daphne to her office the Tuesday after and they both stand stiff, not knowing what to say.  
"Excuse me?" Daphne stutters. Madame Touha leans back in her chair, slightly amused at the teens' reactions.  
"In order for you to surpass the other students and get a higher score for your scholarship, it would be great if I could teach you how to dance a pas de deux." She clears her throat. "And with a pas deux, you're going to need a partner. Which is what brings me to you, Mr. Parker."  
"Mhm," he squeaks. His arms are glued to his sides. Was this the proposition Madame Touha was talking about?  
"Can't I do this with Miles, Madame?" Daphne steps forward.  
"Miles is thirteen, Daphne. He's not going be able to lift you above his head." Madame Touha's eyes shoot to Peter. Or more specifically: Peter's arms.

"Peter's your age and he looks like he lifts twice your weight in the gym." Peter glances in Daphne's direction without turning his head. He tightens his jaw and coughs softly. "Don't you like him?" Peter's head turns bright red and he looks away from them. Judging from Daphne's little squeal she probably had a similar reaction.  
"It's not that I don't like him, it's that he's only been dancing for a month. Shouldn't he be getting at least another two months of training before we even start considering this?" _She likes me._  
"Obviously I won't throw him in the deep end right away. But I was hoping to start teaching you a pas de deux halfway through October so we can impress the scholarship board at the Christmas performance."  
"Madame, that's in two weeks!"  
"Do you want to become number one or what?"

"I'll do it!" Peter yelps. Both Daphne and Madame Touha are startled by his sudden outburst after he was standing still like a statue for most of the discussion.  
"Peter, are you sure?"  
"If it gets you to the number one spot then yes, I'll do anything." Kicking David off the number one spot should definitely get the school to stop ignoring her. If they take her seriously then David will finally be forced to leave Daphne alone. Madame Touha raises an eyebrow at him.

"I'm also on the list," he blurts out.  
"What?" Daphne looks at him, wide-eyed.  
"I'm Tony Stark's intern."  
"Wai- intern?!" Daphne looks like she's going to burst. "So, you mean you're not just some science guy? You are THE science guy?!"  
"In all honesty, I didn't know I had this scholarship till I asked Mr. Stark after you told me about it." Peter looks at his feet. "He just showed up at my house one day and gave me the internship."  
"Do you have any idea how insane that sounds?"  
"He's right, though," Madame Touha butts in.  
"What do you mean?" Daphne looks like she could throw Madame Touha's desk through the window. And then Peter right after. Madame Touha hands Daphne a piece of paper. Daphne looks at the paper and then at Peter. He can't see what's on the paper, but he guesses it's a list of people with a scholarship. He scoffs inwardly. A few days ago, Tony wouldn't even let him glance at the list and here's Madame Touha, just showing it to Daphne.

"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"I only found out recently and I didn't want you to think differently of me. My internship has nothing to do with me dancing." Peter has to admit that that lie came a little too easily. But maybe it wasn't a lie. Maybe he didn't dance for Spider-Man anymore. There's an awkward silence among the three of them. Madame Touha breaks it with a fake cough.  
"So," she says, turning her attention back to Daphne. "Are you in?" Daphne looks back at the paper and then makes eye contact with Peter. He nods, reassuringly. He'll think of something to fix the sensitivity issues. He's THE science guy after all. Daphne smiles worriedly at Peter, but then she nods, releasing the breath she'd been holding in.  
"I'm in."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved writing the transition to Madame Touha, omg. I have one more chapter lined up, but it still needs some work. I hope you enjoy this fic! Please let me know what you think!


	12. Sneezy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In short: Daphne should not be booping Peter on the nose.

Daphne was very early that Thursday. She wanted to be there first this time. She had everything set up and ready to go. They really needed to make big progress for Peter to be able to stand his ground in a pas de deux. To her surprise, Peter walks in with a gigantic bag over his shoulders. He places it gently on the ground as if it weighs nothing, but when it hits the wooden floor, she hears it's filled with metal things. He really is extremely strong, isn't he?  
"Hey," he stammers. "I was wondering if we could do some tests."  
"Pete, you need to practice."  
"I know, I know, but if I can't touch you, we can't dance together at all." He gestures at the bag. "I brought some equipment to test some things. Maybe I can put something together that will neutralize it. Or maybe something that neutralizes my sensitivity. I haven't figured that part out yet." He rubs his chin with his fingers. "I at least need to know what variables I'm working with." She raises an eyebrow at him, but agrees.  
"Alright, mister Science Guy. What do you need from me?"

Peter brought in a ton of stuff. He tells her about all the devices and how it's Stark Tech and how it should help them and that all of it is safe, but Daphne just stares. The way he rambles about physics... It's endearing. Cute, she even dares to think. She didn't expect him to be so passionate. It makes her feel warm inside.  
"-and so that should get the neurons to..." Peter pauses and glances her way. "Am I boring you?"  
"No, not at all." Daphne smiles kindly, but can't help her brows from furrowing. "I just, don't know anything about science so this is all mumbo jumbo, to be honest."  
"I'll stop talking."  
"Nooo, please, don't." She steps towards him, refraining herself from grabbing his shoulder. "It's... Nice to hear you talk like this." Peter can feel the blood rush to his face. "And you know, I... I should probably at least kind of know what you're doing to me."  
"Fair enough." He shrugs, handing her some plasters carefully so he doesn't touch her. "Could you maybe stick those on your body? I'd rather not, well... You know." He gestures at her.  
"I know."

Peter explains to her where the plasters should go. They look funny. Peter says it's because there are little devices in them that can measure her vitals and – hopefully – pick up on her electricity levels. Once she's done sticking every single one of them on, she sees Peter turning on something that looks like a simplified label maker. Before she can even ask him what it is, he pulls out a see-through screen and starts tapping away.  
"Woah." She stares at the device. "That's the kind of computers you work with at the internship?"  
"This is just a small one, the one at Avengers tower is gigantic compared to this." Peter smiles at Daphne, who just looks at him with an open mouth.  
"That's fucking nuts, man."  
"I suppose it is."

Peter taps away some more and he then presses a button. The plasters start vibrating. It's a slightly uncomfortable buzz and Daphne looks at Peter with a twisted face.  
"This is probably the weirdest thing I've ever done," she admits. Peter doesn't respond, though she doesn't think he's ignoring her. He's caught up in whatever's happening on that little screen. He frowns at all the information that's loading in, reading every word carefully.  
"Okay, so..." He starts, placing his hand on his chin again. "To put it simply: you really do have higher electricity levels in your body."  
"Sounds to me like there's more to it." Daphne cocks her head.  
"Yeah..." He scrolls through the info again. "It, like, fluctuates. Constantly."  
"Is that bad?"  
"Not for you." He clears his throat. "Your body seems to be accustomed to it. The levels aren't dangerously high or anything. Vitals are good."  
"But...?"  
"If there isn't a steady level it's gonna be more difficult for me to make something that could neutralize it." He pouts and scrolls to see more recent readings. "Cause whatever I'm going to make is going to have to fluctuate with your electricity levels... And there's no pattern to it."

"So, we're screwed?"  
"Not necessarily..." He bits the inside of his cheek. "This is just gonna be a whole lot more work than I'd hoped for."  
"I'm sorry, Pete-"  
"Hey, don't say that." Peter closes the device and puts it in the bag before turning back at Daphne. He cocks his head and raises his eyebrows. "You have no control over whatever's going on inside your body. Neither can I." He stands dangerously close to her but he doesn't care right now. "All we can do is work hard to figure this out so you can become number one."  
"What if I don't want to be number one?" Peter swallows. What does she mean with that?  
"Why wouldn't you?" He asks softly.

Their noses are almost touching. He can feel her body heat and his eyes follow the lines of her face.  
"Because I'm a bother."  
"You're not." God, he wishes he could kiss her.  
"Please... I don't want to hurt you." She takes a step back but he moves with her.  
"You don't hurt me," he whispers. "You never have." She's quiet now, staring into his eyes as he looks straight back into hers. There's a short moment before... Dink. The tips of their noses touched. Daphne takes in a quick breath and holds it as she steps away from him.  
"I'm sorry!" She blurts out. He can feel his nose heating up. An odd tingle settling in it.  
"It's okay! It's okay!" he steps towards Daphne, hands reaching out to her, but suddenly he freezes. His nose twitches and then it comes...

Peter throws himself forward as the loudest, most intense sneeze he's ever had, forces itself out of him. He remains bent forward, leaning his elbows on his knees. Trying to blink away the stars dancing in front of his eyes. "Holy-"  
"Oh my God, Peter are you okay?" His nose still tingles and he groans, squeezing his eyes shut.  
"Just give me a min-" _No, not again-_ He turns away from Daphne as a second sneeze comes out. He grabs his nose with his hands and rubs the tip violently, trying to get the sensation out of it.

In the distance he hears a giggle.  
"Are you laugh-gh...GH!" Third sneeze. Tears well up in Peter's eyes.  
"I'm sorry, you just look... I don't know, it's kind of funny!"  
"Oh, is it?" Peter nearly yells as he gets hit with a fourth sneeze. "I can't dance like this!"  
"Then how do we stop it?!" Daphne starts panicking now. "I have allergy pills?"  
"Don't think that's gonn-uhh...!" Fifth sneeze. He lets out a loud groan and he falls on his knees, his eyes still squeezed shut. "Gonna cut it," he finishes weakly.  
"Is there anything in the bag we can use?"  
"Maybe," Peter whimpers. Daphne rushes for the bag. She tries to open it, but the zipper gets stuck.  
"What do I even grab?! There's so much stuff in there!"  
"I honestly don't know," Peter moans in pain as he crawls towards Daphne and the bag to help her.

Unfortunately, another sneeze hits him the moment he gets there and the force of it causes him to fall over Daphne. They both yelp and their contact causes Peter's senses to go into overdrive. He scrambles back on his knees, reaching for the bag, but his sensory overload causes him to lose control over his strength and he rips the zipper off. He looks at it for a second and whines softly. He tenses all his muscles and finally gives in completely, tearing the bag open with his hands.  
"Peter, what the-!" Daphne stares wide-eyed at the scene happening in front of her. He can't hear her. He needs to get to whatever he brought that can help him. Did he even bring anything that can help him? God, he wishes he brought something that can help him.

"No, no, no, no," he says as he chucks device after device over his shoulder. Frantically rummaging through the bag. "Yes!" He desperately grabs the tiniest device ever. He holds it up in front of his face. "Yes, yes, yes!"  
"What is it?!" He puts it in his ear without warning, leaving Daphne in suspense.  
"F.R.I.D.A.Y.?" He sneezes.  
"Friday?" Peter holds his hand up to shush Daphne. He seems to be listening to something.  
"F.R.I.D.A.Y. Is there anything in this bag that can stabilize electron discrepancies caused by an external source?!" His voice cracks as he speaks. He squints, trying to control his breathing. His fingers squeeze the bridge of his nose. "Yes!" he shouts. "That's exactly what I need, where is it?!" He throws himself onto the bag and forces the air out of his lungs. "A regulator!!!" Peter falls backwards onto his butt, frantically tapping away on the little strip of metal he's holding. "Thank you, F.R.I.D.A.Y.!" Peter keeps typing and another sneeze hits him.  
"It just looks like a slap-on bracelet!" Daphne squeals. As if on cue, Peter slaps it on his wrist and the metal band secures itself around his arm. Peter's muscles relax immediately and he lets himself fall on his back. His arms spread as he moans.  
"That's cause it is," he chuckles. He's panting and his sweat makes his curls stick to his forehead. A sudden calm has settled in the room.

"Jesus Christ, Pete." Daphne looks around. There's stuff scattered everywhere and the bag looks like it has been attacked by a dog. "What the ever-loving fuck just happened."  
"Found regulator. Stopped over-stimulation. Please give me a minute," he mutters, slowly waving his hand as he closes his eyes. Suddenly his phone buzzes, but Peter doesn't react. Daphne can't help but peek at the screen and her eyes grow wide.  
"Um... Peter...?"  
"Mm?"  
"Tony Stark is calling you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I imagine Yakety Sax playing in the background as I was writing this? Maybe.


	13. Red Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony Stark being a dad and embarrassing his son.

Peter scrambles to sit upright, desperately reaching for his phone. _I'm so screwed!_ Peter picks up and holds the phone to his ear, still sitting on his butt on the floor. His legs spread slightly. Daphne stares at him, frozen in place. She tries to wrap her head around the fact that Peter Parker has Tony Stark's phone number.  
"Mr. Stark?"  
"Kid, what's going on? I got a notif that you activated F.R.I.D.A.Y.? Your body temperature spiked and your heartbeat's all over the place. Where are you? Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine, Mr. Stark, I promise!" Peter glances at Daphne. He probably needs to tell Tony he's not alone so Tony won't start talking about things that are Spider-Man related. "I'm with Daphne."

It's quiet for a second.  
"Aha." Peter's eyes grow wide and he jolts as he realizes that Tony interpreted it _very_ differently.  
"No, no, it's not what you think it is!"  
"Sure, kid."  
"I was doing some tests with the equipment I borrowed and I overstimulated my nerve-endings. I couldn't think straight, I needed F.R.I.DA.Y. to find the regulator I brought."  
"You over-" Tony interrupts himself.  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark."  
"Why are you doing tests with the girl?" Peter locks eyes with Daphne, who's now worried for him.  
"We found out she has higher electricity levels than other people which is why I've been so on edge lately. We're trying to figure out how to stop the sensory overloads she causes in me."

"That's what labs are for, Pete." Tony clears his throat. "Those are controlled environments. A dance hall is not a controlled environment."  
"You know whe-"  
"Tracker."  
"Right."  
"Are you okay now?"  
"Yes, I'm a 100% okay." Peter gestures with his hands.  
"Good. Now hand the phone to Daphne."  
"What?"  
"You heard me." Daphne looks at Peter with a puzzled look on her face. Peter's brows curl up into a frown as he holds his phone out to Daphne. She stares at it, wide-eyed.  
  


"He wants to talk to you," Peter mumbles quickly.  
"What? Why would he want to talk to me?"  
"Just take the phone, please," he pleads. She hesitantly grabs the phone from him. Her heart's beating in her throat as she stares at the timer counting up on the screen, indicating the call's still going. She slowly brings the phone to her ear.  
"Hello?"  
"Daphne, hi, dear." Daphne presses her lips on top of each other. She's talking to Tony Stark. The real Tony Stark. "Peter's told me a lot about you, but this electricity thing is new." The world seems to stop moving. Her breath gets stuck in her lungs.  
"...Peter talks about me?" She can feel the blood rush to her face and she doesn't dare look at Peter.

Peter has a mental breakdown on the inside and is just about as red as Daphne is.  
"Obviously," Tony scoffs. "Did he give you any flowers yet?" Daphne's eyes shoot to the carnation in the glass.  
"He did." Daphne stares at the flower. "One white carnation."  
"What a gentleman." She can hear him smile through the phone. Peter's ready to grab his phone back and throw it out the window with all his power.  
"He is," she says quietly.  
"Right, so next time you and Pete do tests like this, you come down to the lab cause I don't want to experience another heart attack." She assumes Tony is hooked up to every device Peter uses, which means he must've seen Peter's vitals go absolutely insane for a solid minute.

She decides to not ask any questions. Daphne then realizes what he said. He just invited her to his lab. She takes a breath and tries to play it cool.  
"That's fair." Tony laughs at that.  
"Alright, kid. I'm gonna get back to work." But Daphne isn't done chatting just yet. It's now or never.  
"Mr. Stark, sir." She stumbles over her words and wants to punch herself in the face. _Get your shit together, Daphne._ "Before you go..."  
"Hm?"  
"Thank you for giving me this opportunity through the scholarship." It's quiet at the other end of the line. Her face twists with worry. Did she mess it up?  
"Eh, it's nothing. I'm looking forward to seeing you dance at the Christmas performance."

Daphne freezes. He's going to the Christmas performance? She chuckles nervously.  
"I didn't know you were coming?" She poses it as a question, hoping for an explanation.  
"Well, now you do. Don't tell your classmates, kid. Gotta go!" And just as she wants to reply, he hangs up. She takes the phone away from her ear and looks at it and then at Peter.

"Well?" He asks, his cheeks still red from before. "What did he say?" She hands the phone back to Peter and clears her throat.  
"He said that if we need to do more tests, we should do them at the lab. Not here." She looks at her hands, rather embarrassed.  
"And?"  
"That he's coming to watch the Christmas performance." Both of them stay quiet. The silence that falls between them is awkward and it feels wrong. Their silences are never awkward. "Did... Did he tell you to buy me the flower?" Peter gasps softly, unsure what to say. He glances at the carnation and then back at Daphne who looks at him with questioning eyes. He fidgets with his fingers and looks down at them.

"I have no idea what girls like," he admits. He wishes he could just disappear. How embarrassing.  
"I like white carnations." She smiles kindly at Peter. He just stares back at her, having no idea what to do next. Daphne gets up and starts gathering Tony's devices that are all over the PVC dance floor. They seem to be intact. "We should probably do some dancing."  
"Right." Peter shuffles to his feet, helping Daphne with the Stark Tech and biting the inside of his cheek as he realizes that he ripped the bag so far that he can't actually use it anymore.

Daphne walks to her dance bag and grabs something small from it. She carefully hands it to Peter.  
"I always bring a tote bag just in case," she says. "You never know when you need it." He takes it and unravels the piece of cloth. "It won't fit all of it, but at least you won't have to carry everything in your arms.  
"Thanks." He smiles at her with his lips pressed on top of each other. He fills up the tote bag while Daphne gathers the rest of the devices. They end up fitting most of the stuff in his backpack and the tote bag, so he doesn't have to carry all that much in his arms.

He hesitates before he puts the bag on the ground so he can get to the barre.  
"Sorry," he mumbles.  
"For what?"  
"Everything that just happened."  
"Are you kidding?" Peter looks at her, confused. "I just had a chat with Tony Stark."  
"It felt awkward."  
"Does it matter? It was cool as fuck." She tosses Peter his water bottle and he catches it with ease. She chuckles. "Didn't you tell me not to be sorry, like, ten minutes ago?" They lock eyes. "If I'm not allowed to be sorry then you're not either."  
"Bu-"  
"Nuh-uh," she interrupts, waving her hand in front of his face.

Her attention moves to the slap on bracelet he's now wearing. Peter follows her gaze and holds up his wrist so she can see it better. "Do you think if I touch you now, you'd still be super sensitive?"  
"I honestly don't know," Peter admits. "It was able to stabilize my neurons and diffuse the situation, but I don't know how fast it responds."  
"Do you want to try it?"  
"What? You mean head to the lab?" Peter holds in a laugh. "As in, right now?"  
"I dunno... What do you want to do?" _Hold you._  
"Maybe we should stick to just practicing ballet for now and meet up some other time?" Daphne nods, but she seems disappointed somehow.  
"That's probably smarter..." Peter looks away, sucking on his teeth. His fingers rub his chin.

"You got time tomorrow?"  
"I think so, yeah?"  
"Friday evening is when I usually spend time with Mr. Stark in the lab, so there's guaranteed access."  
"Wait, you mean Tony Stark will be there as well?"  
"Probably, yeah." Daphne takes a few deep breaths.  
"So, I will actually meet him?" Peter shrugs and repeats himself. He tries to stay cool, but this is honestly freaking him out just as much as it is freaking her out.  
"Probably, yeah," he repeats. Daphne frantically takes a sip from her own water bottle, trying to process this entire situation.  
"Well, fuck me then." She rubs her palms on her cheeks and then points at the bar as she turns to her phone for music. "Fifth position, two demi pliés and a slow ass grand plié. Tendus all the way around and end with four ronde de jambes."  
"Yes, ma'am."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony Stark is a sassy mentor and I love him. That's it for today! I hope you like it!


	14. Vitals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne meets the man who funds her scholarship and a doctor who knows everything about losing control.

Daphne walks out of the subway near Avengers Tower and curses at herself when she sees the heavy rain falling down. She rushes towards the tall building, but finds she can't wait outside for Peter without getting absolutely soaked. She makes her way inside and assesses herself. She got a bit wet, but nothing that won't dry within the hour. She wipes the screen of her phone on a part of her shirt that's still dry and takes a second to look around.

The reception area is almost eerily clean, like a new hospital. People are walking in and out, not really caring about the dripping teen that's leaning her weight from one foot to the other. It's somehow busier than she thought it would be. She sniffs and wipes the rain off her face with her sleeve. Someone next to her clears his throat.  
"Excuse me, miss?" Daphne turns to the voice and is met with a tall man, towering over her. He's got black hair, slicked back and he's wearing a uniform of sorts. Security? He honestly seems too lean for that, but who knows. He seems familiar to her somehow. "What are you doing here?" His British accent throws her off a little.

"Oh!" Daphne exclaims. "I'm here to meet with Peter Parker, the intern?" She shuffles in her spot, fidgeting with her phone and trying to not seem suspicious. Not that she's got any reason to be suspicious. There's totally nothing suspicious about her. Right?  
"Ah, Mr. Stark knows you're coming." He smiles, but there's a hint of mischief in there that makes Daphne uneasy.  
"Mr...-" She blinks a few times. "Right, right, he told us we could use the lab for tests." She clears her throat. "Am I okay to wait here for Peter?"

The receptionist apparently caught wind of the conversation and walks up to them, stopping next to the security guard.  
"Daphne, right?" The receptionist smiles kindly and Daphne swallows. Do all of them already know about her?  
"Right."  
"Daphne," the guard repeats, like he's lost in thought. He's staring intently at her. His bright blue eyes seem to be piercing through her.  
"Uh, yes." All of this is turning super awkward and the receptionist takes a small step forward so the attention shifts to her again.  
"Right this way, miss." She gestures to the reception desk and they make their way over to it.

Daphne swiftly brushes past the security guard, leaving him behind, but she can feel him looking at her. What's up with him? "We're going to have to hook you up to the system to get you a visitor's pass."  
"Okay..." Daphne is trying to focus her attention on the receptionist and not the pair of eyes that are still on her for some reason. The receptionist asks for Daphne's ID and puts a tablet in front of Daphne. She instructs Daphne to fill in the gaps while she checks the ID. The questions are simple and fair. Full name, date of birth, gender and a reason for the visit.

After she fills in all of the information, she hands the tablet back to the receptionist who transfers the information to a card. Daphne takes her ID and the card and the receptionist gestures at one of the elevators.  
"The card gives you clearance to floor 44 only. Security will be notified if you go to any other floor, but you shouldn't be able to as the elevators only take you to levels that you have clearance to and you need to verify your card when you use the stairs to get to other floors," she explains.  
"Makes sense." Daphne studies the card. It has her ID photo printed on it as well.  
"Mr. Stark and Dr. Banner are waiting for you upstairs in lab 26, I'll let them know you're coming."

Daphne's eyes shoot up to meet those of the receptionist. It feels like her heart just stopped.  
"...Dr. Banner?"  
"Whatever you are testing, it's caught his attention, so it must be big," the receptionist laughs. "Especially if Mr. Stark is there himself as well." Daphne chokes and laughs nervously, but only out of courtesy. Daphne thanks the receptionist and quickly makes her way to the elevator. She keeps her head down, trying not to look at the security guard who still watches her. The doors open right as she approaches and she rushes in before they close again. She's finally freed from the guard's stare.

There are no buttons, so she looks around. It's awfully quiet for a high-rise elevator. There's a little tap area that she puts her card against and a mechanical voice speaks.  
"Please state which floor you wish to go to."  
"Um... 44?"  
"Floor 44, lab 26. Going up."

It probably didn't even take that long to get to floor 44, but it felt like an eternity. Daphne stares at herself in the mirror in the elevator. She's just as nervous as she was for her first major audition and she absolutely hates it. She hopes Peter shows up soon.  
"Floor 44, lab 26. We hope you enjoy your visit at Avengers Tower." Daphne scoffs softly at the mechanical voice, but her smile fades when the doors open.

She clears her throat and slowly steps out into a gigantic, bright space. Once again, clean like a hospital. _Well, it IS a lab..._ There are a few desks and a main computer space in the middle that seems to be turned off. It's pretty much a gigantic tablet table and Daphne stares at it for a second. In the other corner there's an Iron Man suit on display. It must be an older one. There's a little kitchen with a mini-fridge and high table with some bar stools. And on the stools... Daphne presses her lips on top of each other. They both turn their faces to look at her and smile.

"Daphne!" Tony Stark jumps off his stool and makes his way toward her. Bruce Banner follows a little more gently. Daphne is glued in place and chuckles nervously.  
"Hi." She brings her awkwardly waving hand down with her other hand and clears her throat. When Tony reaches her he gives her a hand and shakes it firmly.  
"You got here sooner than I thought you would."  
"Peter and I are in a bit of a race against the clock to fix the issue, to be honest," she says truthfully. Tony cocks his head and glances at Bruce. He offers her his hand and she hesitantly shakes it. He's awfully gentle and she knows why. "Dr. Banner." She nods. "It's an honor to meet both of you," she says, looking at both of them.  
"Bruce." He nods. "Call me Bruce."

Daphne smiles awkwardly and looks at her feet before taking a breath.  
"I think I'll stick with Dr. Banner for now, sir."  
"Means you won't be calling me Tony any time soon either then?"  
"Nah, 'Mr. Stark' is just fine." Tony and Bruce share an amused look and then they turn around to the big tablet table in the middle of the room.  
"Peter's late," Tony sighs loudly. "Should've been here an hour ago to talk things through before you got here, but oh, well." He turns on the tablet, but to Daphne's surprise a bunch of holograms appear above the table.

"Woah," Daphne exclaims as she walks to the table. She then frowns and looks at Tony. "Wait, Peter's never late?" Tony bursts out laughing. "I'm serious, he's never been late? He's always early!"  
"He must like you more than he does me, then." Daphn turns a bright shade of red and she looks down, trying to hide her cheeks with her hair.  
"Prepare, kid. If you start hanging with him more often, you'll learn he's late. A lot." Daphne cocks her head and purses her lips.  
"Noted," she says. It's quiet for a bit.

"So." Bruce breaks the silence. "We were supposed to get info about you from Peter, but you might as well tell us yourself now." Both geniuses look at Daphne expectantly.  
"Um..." Daphne looks to the side. "Well, I'm... I've..."  
"You alright?" Bruce asks worried.  
"Yeah, yeah, I am." She puts her hands up in front of her in defense. "I just... I don't talk about this all that much normally and everything is suddenly happening all at once so, I'm... Well..." Overwhelmed probably doesn't even cut it. She feels like throwing herself out the window.  
"I mean, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but it'll be harder for us to help." Tony sits down on his chair. Daphne fiddles with her fingers and frowns.

"Got struck by lightning as a kid," she mutters. Bruce stands up from his leaning position against the desk, clearly not expecting that. "I was eight." She licks her lips. "Coma for four days, short term memory loss. Don't remember what happened before or after I got struck, but I remember how it felt." Her face scrunches up in her pause. "It wasn't nice."  
"I can only imagine," Bruce mumbles. "Peter mentioned something about your electricity levels?"  
"They're higher than the average human being's," Tony interrupts. He points at a graph among the holograms. "Those are the readings Peter made yesterday."  
"Woah." Bruce rubs his chin and covers his mouth, carefully reading the info. "And you don't feel any of that?"  
"Did you?"  
"No-"  
"Yes-" Tony and Bruce say at the same time. "I felt a little tingle when we shook hands, but nothing serious," Bruce finishes.

"The only normie in the room didn't feel a thing," Tony jokes about himself.  
"I don't really notice it," Daphne admits. "But maybe I'm just used to it by now."  
"Peter apparently goes absolutely feral when you touch him." Tony raises an eyebrow at her.  
"That's a solid way of putting it," Daphne laughs nervously, thinking back to the bag he ripped apart yesterday and how she had compared it to being shred to pieces by a dog.  
"What's his theory?" Bruce cocks his head to her.  
"He says he's got hyper sensitive nerve endings. I'm not all that great at science, but he mentioned something about his neurons mis-aligning and that the regulator realigned them yesterday?"

"Neurons are cells that are electrically excitable," Bruce explains. "Sensory neurons are the ones that tell the spinal cord and brain what you're feeling through synapses." Daphne nods. Peter told her the same and she's pretty sure she had to learn this in science class at some point. "My best guess is that you overload his neurons, which makes the synapses 'confused', so to speak, and unstable."  
"Then what did the regulator do?"  
"The regulator probably sent him some more small shocks that the synapses did understand, which made him able to process everything you had given him."  
"Aha."

"So." Tony joins the conversation. "What did you even do to him that made his vitals go that haywire?"  
"We, uh..." Takes a breath. "Our noses touched."  
"That's it?"  
"It resulted in a massive sneezing fit that he couldn't get out of." Daphne looks down again, embarrassed by it all. "When I tried to help him, another sneeze made him fall on top of me so his entire body was probably on fire."  
"Why yes, it was." Tony raises his eyebrows. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., please put up Peter's vitals from yesterday evening at 19:17."

Daphne's mouth falls open.  
"What the-," Bruce mutters. "A body temperature of 102 degrees, just because she touched him?"  
"Look at the heart beat." Tony gestures with his head. "That's a solid 192 beats per minute."  
"Holy shit." She stares wide eyed at the holograms. "That can't be healthy."  
"Do you understand now, why I called yesterday?" She nods slowly, her eyes still glued on the information in front of her. "I thought he was in a lot of trouble."  
"For reference," Bruce clears his throat. "When I turn into the Hulk I've got about 180 beats." He glances at Daphne. "On average."

Daphne looks at Bruce, in absolute shock. Her mouth hangs open and her eyes are wide. Her eyebrows are curled up into a frown and she stops breathing. What kind of superhuman is Peter? The second he slapped on that regulator he was fine again. They even danced for another two hours. He should've been exhausted. She should've brought him to a hospital! Suddenly the elevator dings and Peter walks in cheerfully.  
"Hey guys! You talking about me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peter's in trouble, lol.


	15. Scar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter keeps lying about what exactly Daphne does to him and Tony is speechless for once.

"You're late," is all Tony says.  
"I'm sorry, I got caught up," Peter says quickly.  
"You could've called," Daphne mutters. "Or texted."  
"Hey, are you okay?" Peter walks up to her but Daphne takes a few steps back until she's against one of the desks next to the main computer areas. Peter cocks his head. "Daphne?"  
"You said I didn't hurt you."  
"You didn't!"  
"Why the fuck do you lie, Pete?!"  
"I don't know what you're-" Peter spots the holograms and what they're saying. "Oh."  
"For fuck's sake!" Daphne takes big strides towards him and this time Peter stumbles backwards. "What were you thinking? How many times has happened what happened yesterday?"  
"Zero times, I promise!" He instinctively grabs her shoulders.  
"Peter-" Tony steps forward, scared of what might happen now that Peter's touched her.

Daphne pushes his hands off her.  
"Don't. Lie." There are tears in her eyes but she refuses to let them fall down her cheeks. Peter clenches his jaw. His eyes are locked with hers.  
"Fine." He grabs his bag from his shoulder and drops it to the ground. "You have been overwhelming me since we met in the store. Day one." He looks down at her, his eyes are dark. "But it's been getting worse."  
"Why didn't you say something sooner?"  
"Cause I'm a freak, Daphne."  
"You say to the one who's got a gigantic scar on her back that makes her discharge more electricity that a regular person." Daphne puts her hands on her hips and cocks her head at him.  
"I just..." Peter takes a step back and looks anywhere but at the people in the room. "I don't want you to hate me."  
"Why the fuck would I hate you?"  
"I don't know." Peter now looks down at his hands, which are slowly turning red. His voice is shaky. "I think I'm scared."  
"We're all scared." She steps towards him again, but looks away. It's quiet for a second. "Sorry I yelled."  
"Don't be," Peter sighs.

Daphne sucks on her teeth and then looks up into Peter's eyes.  
"So, Mr. Science Guy, are we gonna find a solution or should I just boop your nose again?"  
"Solution, please."  
"Figured." Daphne sighs and looks at Bruce who is obviously feeling a fair amount of second hand embarrassment, but trying not to show it.  
"Well, that was three f-bombs in ten minutes. You sure have a different vocab than Peter." Tony clears his throat and deletes the holograms. "Worst I've ever heard him say is dammit. Once."  
"I don't really have a filter when it comes to that kind of stuff," Daphne admits. "Sorry."  
"We all know the words and I'm not your parent so I honestly don't give a crap about what you do and don't say."  
"Cool."

Tony was obviously just trying to make light of the situation, but there was still a heavy pressure in the room. Daphne glances at Peter.  
"How are your hands?" Tony asks. Peter holds them up, showing his palms. They're bright red.  
"Warm," is all he says. "But other than that, I'm okay."  
"Got the regulator?" Bruce asks quietly.  
"In my bag." Before Peter can move to grab it, Daphne gets hold of it. "Ah, no! There's some private stuff in there!" Peter yelps before she zips it open.  
"What?" Daphne pauses mid-action. Peter's eyes shoot at Tony who immediately realizes that Peter didn't put his Spider-Man suit in his locker. Daphne offers Peter his bag.  
"Can you even open it with your hands in that state?"  
"I can try." Peter once again glances at Tony, his eyes pleading.

"Right!" Tony yelps. He needs to distract her. "Daphne, I got something that I'd like you to put on." He holds up two pieces of cloth and she raises an eyebrow at him.  
"Excuse me?"  
"We don't know to what extent the stuff you wear influences how much electricity you give to Peter, so we want to make it as neutral as we can." Daphne's face twists. "It's like a bathing suit. It's not even all that flattering, it's just neutral clothing." She hesitantly takes the set from Tony.  
"Where do I change?"  
"'Round the corner."  
"Aight, thanks."

She swiftly moves to the changing rooms and when she's out of sight Tony glares at Peter, whose face is flushed and twisted with discomfort. He's sitting down on the floor, focusing on his breathing. Bruce has resorted to helping him open the bag because he couldn't actually use his fingers. Tony throws a pen at him and hits him in the shoulder. Peter flinches.  
"Hey!"  
"Are you out of your _goddamn_ mind?!" He whispers loudly. "You're still pretending!"  
"I don't want to worry her!"  
"Peter, you're lying to yourself as much as you're lying to her," Bruce says simply. He clicks the regulator on Peter's wrist and he visibly relaxes immediately.  
"I know, I know..." Peter pants and presses his eyes shut.  
"You're not safe with her!" Tony picks up the pen he just threw.  
"I like her too much to stay away."  
"Then un-like her!"  
"You know that's not how it works, Mr. Stark," Peter scoffs. He lets his head fall back against the leg of one of the side desks.

"If we learn how to apply the technology more directly, it might also be applicable to the Iron Man suit," Bruce says as he looks at Tony with raised eyebrows. "Or me." Tony groans as he walks back to the main computer. He shuffles some holograms around, obviously frustrated.  
"I'm not gonna leave her behind, not with everything that's going on." Peter looks at Tony, who swears inwardly. Peter has these awfully disarming puppy-dog eyes and Tony hates himself for falling for it every time. Peter's right, though. If Tony were in his position, he'd probably do the exact same thing. He lets out a loud sigh.  
"I know you won't, kid."

Daphne waddles out of the changing room not much later. She's wearing what looks like a white and blue sports bra and shorts. The shorts go down to her knees and the set has a honeycomb pattern woven into it. Peter can't help but think she looks stunning, even if it's just a sports clothing set. She looks like she's uncomfortable and Peter walks up to her.  
"You okay?"  
"Yeah, yeah... I just don't really like my back being this bare." She frowns. "And I think there's more than just rain in the sky."  
"Are you afraid of thunder?"  
"It's just... My scar kind of hurts during thunder storms." She clears her throat and looks away with a shrug. "And there's the added childhood trauma, of course."  
"Fair enough..."  
"How are your hands now?"  
"The regulator works!" Peter smiles as he shows his hands. It looks like his nerves calmed down.  
"That's great, Pete." She smiles but Peter still senses her discomfort.

"Daphne, did you say something about an aching scar?" Bruce calls out from his desk. Tony is leaning against it. They look like they were working on something. Daphne walks up to them with Peter following right behind her. He wants to look away from the branches on her back, but his eyes are glued to them.  
"I didn't exactly come out unscathed when I got struck." Her face twists when she says it. Bruce's eyes light up with wonder and curiosity.  
"Do you have a Lichtenberg scar?" The hopeful tone in his voice is honestly quite endearing and Daphne nods, looking at her feet as she turns 180 degrees. "Gah, I've only ever seen pictures of these!" He leans forward onto his desk to take a closer look. "Fascinating."

A short silence falls and Daphne frowns.  
"You've been awfully quiet, Mr. Stark."  
"Don't have much to say." She glances over her shoulder at the billionaire.  
"When does Tony Stark not have much to say?"  
"I'd say now's a good example." She rolls her eyes and turns back forward. She shares a glance with Peter who pulls an 'I dunno' face.  
"It's quite the feat to leave Tony speechless, Daphne," Bruce laughs. "You should be proud."  
"Shut it, big guy," Tony says as he raises his eyebrows while playfully punching Bruce in the shoulder. Their attention moves back to Daphne.  
"How much did it hurt?" Bruce asks. "What did it feel like?"  
"What, when the lightning...?"  
"Yeah."

Daphne thinks for a second.  
"It's like..." How would she even describe it. It hurt like hell. "You get locked up. Your muscles tense up so hard you can't move." Peter notices the goose bumps spreading over Daphne's arms. "There was heat. But I don't remember how much cause... It was gone before I could register it." She clears her throat and chuckles as she looks down. "I make it sound a whole lot less bad than it actually is." She turns around to the three scientists and presses her lips on top of each other. "All I know is that I definitely never want to experience it again."  
"I don't think anybody would ever want to experience it." Bruce stands up. "Thanks for showing us this. And telling us."  
"That's okay. As long as it helps with the research..." She bites the inside of her cheek and glances at Peter, who looks back at her expectantly. "So, uh, do you want to do some tests?"


	16. Protective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good test results and protective father figures.

Daphne and Peter stand opposite each other. They're two balls of nerves. Peter's wearing the regulator on his wrist and he clears his throat.  
"Are you ready?" Daphne scoffs when he says that.  
"You're the sensitive one."  
"True, but-"  
"Are _you_ ready?" She interrupts him. Peter nods eagerly. There's nothing in the world that he wants more right now than to touch her. Hold her.

"Small steps, kids," Tony says from behind his tablet. Both him and Bruce are standing a few feet away to assess them. Peter offers Daphne his hand.  
"We don't want this to get out of hand if you do have a negative response," Bruce adds.  
"I'm not expecting it to." Peter stares straight into Daphne's eyes.

Daphne slowly brings her hand towards Peter's and they both get startled when she grazes her fingers against his.  
"Did you feel that?"  
"Yes and no." Peter frowns. "To be honest it felt normal."  
"For real?"  
"Yeah, yeah. I mean I feel you, obviously... But..." He pulls in his hand and looks at it from up close. He cocks his head. "I don't... _feel_ it."  
"That's good, right?" Peter nods slowly.  
"You want to take it a step further?"  
"Please." It's almost a whisper. Maybe even a little bit desperate.

He offers her his hand again and slowly she grabs it. Holds it. Daphne looks up to his face, trying to gauge if he's having trouble, but she's met with a warm smile.  
"This feels normal." He can't hide how happy he is. "It doesn't hurt!"  
"Ah! So, you admit it!" She pulls her hand back and uses it to point at Peter. "It _did_ hurt!"  
"Well, it wasn't the most comfortable feeling, no," Peter steps forward, no longer scared to be so close to her.

Daphne scoffs and raises her eyebrows at him.  
"You are unbelievable, Parke-" She interrupts herself when a sudden bright flash lights up the room. It's immediately followed by loud thunder and she yelps, throwing herself against Peter's chest. In a reflex he embraces her, shielding her from what's scaring her. Daphne opens her eyes and realizes where exactly she is. She immediately pushes herself away from Peter, staring at him wide-eyed. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to!"  
"It's okay, I didn't feel it." Peter smiles.

They turn to face Tony and Bruce, but Bruce is missing. Daphne does the math in her head and gives a sympathetic sigh.  
"He doesn't like thunder that much either, does he?"  
"Anything that causes adrenaline spikes is something he'd rather stay away from." Tony shrugs, tapping away on his tablet.  
"Where'd he go?" Peter asks, looking around.  
"I'm here, don't worry about me!" Bruce's voice comes from under one of the desks. He places his hand on top of it and crawls out from underneath. "I'm okay." He clears his throat. He doesn't sound too okay.  
"Why don't you go to your quarters and we'll finish up here?" Tony cocks his head at Bruce, who nods gratefully.  
"I think that's a good idea, yeah."

When the elevator doors close after saying their goodbyes to Bruce, Tony clears his throat rather loudly.  
"You've been holding on to Peter for quite a bit now," he states as he nods at how she holds on to Peter's arm. The thunder hasn't been as loud after the first strike, but it still makes Daphne uneasy. "The regulator's losing battery at a rapid pace like this." Daphne immediately lets go of Peter.  
"How much is left?" Peter asks.  
"We're currently at 17 percent."  
"After half an hour?" Peter walks to the main computer and looks at the information. Daphne follows, but decides to not stand close to him anymore just in case.

"She makes the regulator work quite hard with her fluctuating levels." Tony raises an eyebrow and turns his head to her. "You can't control this, right?"  
"None of it, sir." She looks down, embarrassed that her body's being so difficult. "I'm sorry."  
"Don't worry kid, you've given us a fun project to work on. Right, Pete?"  
"Right." Peter squints at the information in front of him. "Do you think we can use the electricity she emits to simultaneously charge the regulator as it stabilizes my neurons?"  
"I can't charge my phone by holding it," Daphne says as she frowns. "I already told you I tried that."  
"That's cause your phone's not designed to charge that way." Tony scratches his beard. "It's definitely possible, we'd just have to apply the right technology." Peter takes off the regulator and places it in a charging station. He locks eyes with Daphne and nods. She takes another step away from him.

Tony and Peter start discussing things that Daphne cannot wrap her head around. She's definitely not smart enough for this. She coughs, trying to get the attention of the two geniuses who are rambling about the regulator. After the third, incredibly dramatic cough she finally catches Peter's eye.  
"Hmm?"  
"I hate to make this more difficult for you, but..." She hesitates for a second and then straightens her back. "You can't wear jewelry in ballet class. Especially not during the pas de deux classes. You could hurt me with that around your wrist."

Tony's head jolts to glance at Peter.  
"Pas de deux?" There's an amused look on his face. Peter stiffens and laughs nervously.  
"It's a partner da-"  
"I know what a pas de deux is, Pete, I'm not _that_ uncultured." Tony stands up straight. "You didn't tell me you needed the regulator so you could dance with her?" He smirks and elbows Peter in his side.  
"You didn't?" Daphne scoffs.  
"Didn't think it was important." Peter looks down at his handheld tablet and frantically taps away. His face is bright red.  
"Well, I happen to know how to apply my tech to spandex," Tony says as he saunters around the main computer. He raises his eyebrows at Peter, who chokes, but tries to make it seem like he's just coughing. "We can make it work."

They did a few more, smaller tests and some more readings. Daphne started to get used to Tony's sarcasm and sense of humor and before she knew it, the three of them were joking around. It didn't last too long, though. It's now quiet in the lab. Daphne had changed back into her regular clothes, which were now mostly dry. Tony and Peter are working at their own desks. Daphne is looking around, having nothing to do anymore.

She studies the Iron Man suit that's on display in the corner. It has a fair amount of battle damage, but it was polished and shiny nonetheless. The arc reactor in the center is glowing bright, but probably has no use anymore other than make the now decorative piece a little more extra. The helmet glares down at her. It's almost intimidating. She looks back at the two guys working away at their desks and sighs.

"Alright," she says as she makes her way towards them. "Genius Senior, Genius Junior..." She addresses them by nodding once at both of them. "Do you still need me here or can I go home?" She points at the elevator with both her thumbs. Tony snorts. "It's getting late and I don't want to worry my dad."  
"Yeah, kid, you can go. We got all we need." Tony waves. Peter looks at Daphne, rather worried.  
"It's dark out, do you want me to walk you home?"  
"I should be fine."

"What about David?" He whispers the name.  
"Shush, Pete. I'm pretty sure he doesn't know I'm here."  
"David? Who's David?" Tony's chair rolls to Peter's desk automatically. There's a curious gleam in his eyes.  
"Some guy," Daphne mutters as she looks away. Tony shouldn't know about this. "Nothing to be worried about."  
"Okay, saying it like that makes it seem like I should be worried." Tony crosses his arms. Of course, he already knows about David. But Daphne doesn't know that.  
"It's fine, really. He's just a classmate." Daphne shouldn't have said that, she realizes. All her classmates are in Tony's scholarship program.  
"Oh! David; the opera singer?" Daphne freezes.  
"You know him?"  
"I know he's in the number two spot on my list. Which gives him the opportunity to intern. And I happen to know that the current art intern's at the Met." Tony shrugs. "I like to know where my money goes." Peter scoffs from his desk. "What?"  
"Nothing." Peter bends back over his work again.

"I... I really should get going now," Daphne says as she starts walking towards the elevator, grabbing her bag along the way. Tony bites the inside of his cheek and catches up to Daphne.  
"F.R.I.D.A.Y.?"  
"Yes, Tony?" Daphne is startled by the computer-generated voice that seems to come from everywhere in the room.  
"Get my car out front. Daphne needs a ride home." Her eyes grow wide.  
"Mr. Stark, it's fine, really, I can take the subway!"  
"It's still pouring outside. It's late. You're getting a lift." Tony waves her away. "F.R.I.D.A.Y.?"  
"I've contacted the chauffeur. He will be at the front entrance in about three minutes."  
"Great."  
"It's really no-"  
"Zip it, you're taking the car."

Daphne presses her lips on top of each other. The way he said it was strangely dark. Direct. She's reminded of the intimidating Iron Man helmet and it suddenly seems very fitting. She looks down, not saying a word. Best not to make the guy funding most of her life angry with her. She nods slowly. Peter looked at the scene happening in front of him with his breath stuck in his lungs. He's used to Tony parenting him every now and then, but he didn't expect him to immediately become so protective of Daphne.

Peter gets up and grabs the regulator that's been charging for a while now from the charging station. He slaps it on his wrist and walks over to Daphne.  
"I'll come down with you." She looks at him and sucks her teeth.  
"I'd like that," she says softly. She then turns to Tony Stark and nods; determined to break the awkwardness in the air. "Thank you for your hospitality, sir." Tony purses his lips, one corner curling up and he raises his eyebrows.  
"Anytime, kid. Now, get home safe."


	17. Fuzzy Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elevator fluff and a chauffeur with a different agenda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I posted so many chapters at once lol, whoops. Don't have any more right now!

Peter shifts his weight from one foot to the other as they are headed down in the elevator. He's still nervous around her for some reason. This isn't about the pain that comes with touching her anymore. Heck, that issue's pretty much solved at this point. He licks his lips and looks at her. Her jacket was still a bit damp from the rain she'd walked through on her way in.  
"Soooo..." Daphne starts, breaking the silence. Both of them look around the elevator, evading each other's eyeline. "You do this every Friday?"  
"Pretty much."  
"Have you met any of the other Avengers?" He turns to her, unsure what to say. She chuckles at his silence. "Or is that classified?" Peter smiles and looks at his feet.  
"A little, yeah."  
"A little classified?"  
"Yeah, a little." Peter mentally kicks himself in the balls. 

Can't he say anything normal? Anything a regular person would say? Can he say anything at all? "Doyouwannahangouttomorrow-" _Too much, Pete! You said too much!_  
"What?"  
"Nothing." He looks at the tapping device of the elevator. "I mean..." He turns his head to her. How is she so overwhelming? He's wearing the regulator, yet his stomach still feels so weird. Is this what butterflies feel like? She chuckles.  
"I'd like that."  
"You heard me?"  
"Barely." She smirks at him, a playful spark gleams in her eyes.  
"You want to hang out with me?"  
"Yeah, Pete. I just said yes," she laughs now. "I, uh... I found a recording of Manon online. It's probably not legal, but I've heard the pas de deux in it are stunning. Maybe we can do some research on partnering?"  
"Sounds good!" Peter starts getting excited.

He gets to spend an evening with Daphne alone. Not at the dance hall with her drilling ballet terms into his head. No... Just them... In his apartment! Aunt May is going to a charity event for the homeless shelter she volunteers at tomorrow so they have the place to themselves! It's going to be amazing!  
"What time should I be there?" She asks. Peter has to be careful now. He usually takes all of Saturday to patrol, except for when he needs to run errands, like with the ballet wear when he first met her. He always gets caught up in being Spider-Man, like he did today. Crime doesn't have a curfew.  
"Seven?" he asks.  
"Cool! You can text me your address." Peter smiles nervously and fumbles with his fingers.  
"I will," he says.

The mechanical voice announces that they've reached the reception area and before she walks out of the elevator, she gives him a tight hug.  
"Thanks for everything, Pete."  
"No problem, Daph." He smiles down at her and puts his cheek on her head. Her pomegranate smell fills his nose and he can't help but sigh. "I'm so glad this doesn't hurt anymore."  
"Me too," she whispers into his chest.

Peter sees the car outside and reluctantly lets go of her.  
"I'm gonna go back up," he says, pointing in the general direction of where the lab is. "Think you can make it to the car without getting in trouble?"  
"You're an ass, Peter," Daphne laughs while stepping out the elevator. He holds the elevator doors open till she's outside. She smiles at Peter one more time before getting into the car. The driver shuts the door, but Peter suddenly feels like something dangerous is happening. He can't place what he's feeling. It's like there are hundreds of exclamation marks poking at his head. The elevator door starts to close when he sees the driver's face. He looks familiar somehow. In a bad way. It's not David. But if it's not David then who is he? The guy smirks and locks eyes with Peter. _Is that...?_

Peter's left alone with his racing thoughts in the elevator as it automatically goes back up to floor 44. He doesn't move. He doesn't know how to. It can't be _him_. Thor took him back to Asgard, right? He can't be here. It must've been a look-a-like.  
"Floor 44, good luck with your project, Peter," F.R.I.D.A.Y. says, like she says every time he enters the lab. The second the doors open he runs out to his backpack.  
"Woah, kid, what's the rush?"  
"Has the car left?"  
"What?"  
"Who's your driver?!" Peter had already thrown off his shirt and is now wiggling out of his pants.  
"Peter, what is going on?"  
"I think Daphne just got into the car with Loki!" Tony frowns.  
"Loki is in prison on Asgard."  
"How can you know that for sure?" Peter jumps around on one leg, trying to stuff his foot into one of the leg holes.

Tony watches him struggle and then groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
"F.R.I.D.A.Y., call the car, call Eric."  
"Eric's phone is currently not connected to your vehicle, sir."  
"Okay, then where's Eric?"  
"Eric is currently in his office. His vitals indicate that he is sleeping." Tony glares at Peter, who is already putting on his mask.  
"And my car?"  
"I'm sorry, sir. I can't seem to locate your vehicle."

...

"Excuse me," Daphne leans forward in her seat so she can angle herself to see the driver better. "Aren't you the security guard from before?" He smirks.  
"I'm just the driver, Daphne." He licks his lips. "You must've guessed my profession wrong."  
"I suppose I did." She lets herself fall back into the seat again and leans her head on her hand as she watches the traffic pass by. There's a strange scent in the air. Must be what rich people's cars smell like. Daphne chuckles and stifles a yawn.

The rain that's still pouring becomes a white noise in the background as the drops glide down the window, distorting all the yellow and red car lights. She blinks. She probably shouldn't be falling asleep right now. It's already late, but she wouldn't want the driver to have to wake her up when she gets home. That'd be embarrassing. She cracks her back – reminding herself that Madame Touha told her to _not_ do that – and sits up straight.

The driver glances back at her.  
"Must've been a long evening?"  
"Very," she chuckles. "I'm exhausted."  
"I can imagine." Did his eyes just glow for a second? Daphne blinks again and reaches out for her bag between her feet. She zips it open, looking for her water bottle. When she finds it she gratefully takes a sip. There's a rumble in the distance and Daphne stares at where it came from. "Not a fan of thunder?" He asks casually.  
"Not really."  
"How come?" She yawns for real this time, not really caring anymore.  
"I have my reasons." She takes another sip, trying to make conversation, hoping that it will keep her awake. "Are you a fan of thunder?"  
"It reminds me of my family," he states. It sounds more like a fact than a cherished memory.

She's distracted from the conversation by her buzzing phone. Peter must be sending his address. She takes a peek at the screen and smiles when it's indeed the familiar nickname popping up. The message he sent, however, has her worried.

_Cindy:_ _  
Where are you? Please answer!_

She frowns and tries to unlock her phone so she can reply, but it doesn't seem to be responding. Instead, the screen goes completely black.  
"Shit," she mumbles.  
"Is everything alright back there?" There's a hint of amusement in his tone.  
"It's nothing, my phone just died," she sighs. "I thought I'd charged it properly, but I guess I didn't."  
"I guess you didn't."

Every part of her feels heavy. The weird smell only seems to be getting stronger and the exhaustion is taking over, but she can't fall asleep now. Peter needs her.  
"Is there any way I can charge it in the car?" She leans forward again, resting her shoulder against the passenger seat in front of her. "My friend texted. He seems worried. I wanna let him know I'm okay." Her voice is slow. Lulled. What's happening?  
"You don't need to text him."  
"I... don't...?" She's losing her sense of direction. Every turn he takes seems like one turn too many. Her fingers don't respond anymore and she drops her phone. It bounces on the ground and hits her foot, but she doesn't really feel it. Her head feels like it's filled with clouds.  
"You don't."  
"What..." She breathes heavily, unable to finish her sentence as her jaw hangs slack.

This is wrong, something is wrong. But she can't move. The driver accelerates suddenly, causing Daphne to fall back into her seat. The weight of the whole world is pressing down on her and that smell. That damned smell. It's everywhere. She flutters with her eyes, but she's not really seeing anything anymore. Just the fuzzy lights of New York at night outside her window, fading and fading.  
"It's okay, Daphne," the driver says warmly. "Just take a little nap."

And she did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh!


	18. Phone Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter tried to call Daphne all night. When the sun rises, someone finally picks up.

There was no way to reason with Peter. After Tony had pulled up the security footage of the reception and confirmed it was indeed Loki Daphne had gotten into the car with, Peter nearly broke the window as he ripped it open to jump out. Tony contacted every available asset to suit up and sent his drones to search for his car. Instead of going out to search for Daphne himself, he stood among his holograms in the lab. Peter needs a regulator that actually works properly sooner rather than later. The deadline of two weeks had become a lot shorter with Daphne's disappearance.

"Her father is on his way here," Pepper states as she rushes in. "I tried to keep it vague but he sounded like he was freaking out."  
"Only fair. His child just got abducted by a god who wrecked New York a couple years ago." Tony shrugs and wipes away a redundant hologram.  
"How's Peter?" Bruce asks worried.  
"Panicking." Tony clears his throat as he activates the 3D-printer for a first prototype.  
"You need to call him and tell him to come back here." Pepper cocks her head. "This hits too close to home for him, he might end up doing something he'll regret."  
"You want me to tell him to stop searching?"  
"He's just a kid-"  
"I know, Pep, just... If Loki took you, I wouldn't know what to do with myself either. Forcing him to stay here won't be good for him."  
"And getting himself hurt will?" Tony's silent now. He stares at Pepper and sighs, letting his shoulders droop.

He turns back to the holograms and groans.  
"God, I hate that you're _always_ right."  
"I know you do," Pep says while smiling and turning to Bruce. "Can you stay here and help monitor the drones?"  
"Of course." Bruce nods and makes his way towards his work spot. Hologram screens fill the entire desk and Bruce studies them closely.  
"Nat, Steve and Bucky were having a late dinner in the city, but they cut that short to help with the search." Pepper scrolls through her tablet.  
"Rhodey?"  
"Flying over Manhattan as we speak." She raises her eyebrows. "S.H.I.E.L.D. noticed our little spring to action. Fury wants to talk to you."  
"Fury is about as low on my priority list as getting my laundry done right now. F.R.I.D.A.Y., call Peter." Tony says. Pepper rolls her eyes and walks back to the elevator.  
"Calling Peter Parker."

...

_Where is she, where is she, where is she, where is she!_  
  
Peter has never swung through New York this fast. He keeps telling Karen to call Daphne, but is always met with her voicemail. Hearing her singsong voice cheerily telling him to leave a message after the beep is probably the only thing keeping him sane right now. In the corner of his eyes he sees the sun coming up. Has it already been that long?  
"Please, call her again," he whimpers.  
"I'm sorry, Peter. I don't think she's going to pick up."  
"Please, Karen."  
"Calling Daphne."

The slow beeps leading up to the voicemail are the most excruciating thing. Right when he expects her voice again, he hears someone else.  
"Hello there." Peter lands against a building and he pants.  
"Where is she?!"  
"How rude, are you not going to greet me?"  
"Loki!" Loki sighs on the other end of the line.  
"She's fine, boy." Peter can hear the demi-god smile through his words and Peter's never wanted to rip someone's face off until today. He readjusts himself on the building, trying - and failing - to stay calm. He takes a breath. "She's taking a little nap."  
"If you hurt her, I will-"  
"What will you do, Spider-Man?" Peter stays quiet, clenching his jaw. Loki laughs. "I'm not going to harm her; you have my word."  
"Then give her back," Peter seethes.  
"Oh, I will. After my brother admits his mistakes."  
"What?"  
"Thor is stubborn. I want him to apologize." Peter frowns.  
"What for?"  
"That's none of you concern, mortal."  
"Why Daphne?"  
"I will take good care of her until Thor does what I want him to do."  
"Loki!"  
"Good night." Loki chuckles. "Peter."

The phone call ends before Peter can yell his name again. Peter's chest feels tight and he has to do everything he can to keep his breath steady. He can't have a panic attack now, there's no time for that. He presses his eyes shut and tenses his muscles, trying to regain control over his body.  
"Karen?" He says through gritted teeth.  
"Yes, Peter?"  
"Did you track the call?"  
"The phone call wasn't long enough for an exact location."  
"How about an approximate location?"

...

"Spider-Man is climbing Avengers Tower, sir."  
"Let him in," Tony says through gritted teeth. They went from the lab to the main living quarters for the comfort of Daphne's father, Derek, who sits on the couch. He's been here all night, asking questions and helping where he can, but now he's exhausted. Everyone is exhausted. The sun came up an hour ago. They all had been awake, searching the entire night. Tony's foot is compulsively tapping the tiled flooring. Most of the involved Avengers had made their way back to the Tower when Peter messaged them to stop searching in New York.

Tony walks up to the entrance and meets the red and blue clad kid hero with a worried look on his face.  
"Why didn't you answer my calls?" They all stare at the jittery teen. He can't stand still and walks past Tony.  
"I was calling Daphne."  
"Did you really think she was going to pick up?" Natasha raises an eyebrow. She has her arms crossed and leans against the bar.  
"No." Spider-Man looks away and cocks his head. "Someone else picked up, though."  
"What? Who?" Steve Rogers takes a big step towards him and Peter has to angle his face up to look him in the eyes.  
"Karen, transfer the call data so F.R.I.D.A.Y. can play it on speaker."

Peter cuts the call right before Loki says his name to keep his identity safe from Daphne's father. They all stare at Spider-Man, who looks at his feet.  
"She's somewhere in Orange County," he says. "Call didn't last long enough for an exact location."  
"Wha- why would he take her there?" Tony frowns.  
"Good God." They all turn to Daphne's father who put his hand in front of his mouth. His voice is shaky. "We lived in Orange County before we moved to New York."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki is a lil shit.


	19. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne regains some memories when she spends time with Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I have a background in film/screenplay writing. My brain only wants to write dialogue (and boi, do I love writing dialogue). Writing all the descriptions is still so hard lol. Though I try! I hope you enjoy!

Daphne feels like she's floating, surrounded by clouds. Soft and nice and warm. Whatever bed she's in, it feels like heaven. The golden sun hits her skin and pleasantly embraces her. She doesn't want to get out of bed. She smiles into the pillows. It smells familiar somehow, like...

Her eyes shoot open and she jolts until she sits up straight. Her heart's beating in her chest as she processes where she is. This is her father's bedroom. At least, it used to be. The furniture is different, the wall color is different, everything it's different. Yet... It's his room. His old room. Where is she? Is she...?!

Suddenly, she remembers the driver. What did he do to her? Did he drug her? How long did she sleep? She grabs onto herself, realizing she's wearing the same clothes that she did when she left Avengers Tower. She steadies her breath and looks around a little calmer. The room looks so incredibly familiar, but at the same time it's extremely different from how she remembers it. She grew up in this place. In all fairness, being in her childhood home like this, is freaking her out. It's blatantly obvious that another family now lives here. And she's in their bed.

She slowly gets out of the bed and notices that whoever put her there - she assumes the driver - did take off her shoes. She carefully places her feet on the cold, wooden floor. She tip-toes around the room, looking for her footwear. When she finally finds her sneakers, she quickly puts them on and ties them tightly. She gets up to walk to the hallway. The entire house is quiet. She softly and slowly walks down the hallway and into the living room, trying not to disturb the psychopath who brought her here. The furniture is set up way different than she remembers. It puts her off to see the house she grew up in like this. The memories she and her father made here were nice and warm like the dream she had, but she now knows that dream was fabricated somehow. To keep her under. Or at least it was something like that. She's unsure how to describe it, but settles for 'unnatural'.

After carefully examining the entire house she gratefully concludes that the driver is not actually there at the moment. Time to get out and run. She groans as she remembers that there's a gigantic field surrounding the house. If the driver were to see her, he could probably track her down in no time. She gets to the front door. She has to at least try and get out. Let's hope her memory on how to get to the neighbors is still fresh enough... She twists the knob. He didn't lock the door. She pulls to open it, but suddenly a hand appears next to her head, shutting the door harshly. She twists around scared, and presses herself against the door. Daphne stands eye to eye with the driver. He hovers over her, an intense look in his bright blue eyes. He's no longer wearing his uniform. Instead, he's wearing black leather, with some sort of coat reaching down to his knees. Silver and green shapes cover the leather to create an intricate design.

"Please stay a little longer, Daphne," He says with a grin. "I haven't gotten my apology yet."  
"I'm sorry!" She blurts out. The driver lets go of the door and steps back, laughing out loud.  
"Not from you, dearest." He turns around and walks to the kitchen. "You have nothing to be sorry about." He waves his hand and she hears the door lock behind her. She stares at the knob with wide eyes. Did he just...? "Breakfast?" he asks simply.

She just stands there, wide eyed, staring at the man who just used... Magic?  
"No, thanks," she whispers.  
"Oh, come on." The driver smiles. "I promised Peter I'd take good care of you and I am a man of my word." _Peter._ She looks at the long hallway rug on the floor, trying to collect her thoughts. "He wouldn't stop calling your phone, so I figured I'd let him know I won't hurt you."  
"Where's my phone?" she asks hesitantly.  
"In one of my many pockets." He holds out the sides of his coat. "No sleight of hand will help you, though. It's hidden very well." He raises his eyebrows at her and smirks as he disappears into the kitchen.

Daphne's still glued to the door.  
"Now come, I can tell you are hungry." She hears the stove being turned on and the clattering of pans. Not much later, the sizzling starts and an irresistible smell fills the house. She really is hungry. She slowly lets go of the door and takes small, careful steps to the kitchen. It's almost a domestic looking scene. If not for the leather clothed man scrambling some eggs on the stove. He sticks out like a sore thumb next to all the pastels of the interior design.

She moves to the breakfast table and sits down slowly. She finally musters up the courage to talk again.  
"What's your name?" He glances back at her from the stove.  
"You really don't remember me, do you?"  
"Should I?"  
"Ah, you were young." He flips the bacon skillfully. "Still are." She figures he won't give her his name. She'd have to remember him somehow.  
"Is this your house now?" He chuckles.  
"It is not. I was lucky to find the owners are on holiday." She doesn't know what to ask next so she simply doesn't say anything. Instead she looks at her hands.

Not much later the driver puts down a plate in front of her. Eggs, bacon and toast. He sits down at the round table, opposite her.  
"Aren't you gonna eat?" she asks.  
"I am not hungry."  
"Then how do I know you didn't put anything shady in this food?" She pushes the plate towards him and he laughs.  
"I did not drug you, if that's what you think. Potions are below me."

He takes her cutlery and gently takes a bite out of everything he prepared for her before pushing the plate back to her.  
"Well, I certainly didn't have control over what happened to me in the car, so you did something."  
"I put a sleeping spell on you, nothing much." She hesitantly takes a bite out of the toast.  
"A spell?"  
"You fought it well. Took you longer to succumb than some Asgardians I placed it on." She stops in her tracks, her mouth open as she was about to take a bite of bacon. Her eyes lock with his and she moves to sit up straight, bringing the fork down.  
"Asgardians... As in..."  
"Yes." There's a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. 

Daphne lets go of the cutlery and they clatter on the plate. She's frozen in place as her mind is bringing the puzzle pieces together. Magic, Asgardians... His black hair and blue eyes. His outfit. Her mind flashes back to the conversation they had in the car about thunder.

_"It reminds me of my family."_

"Loki," she whispers.  
"Ah, I knew you'd remember me." He smiles wide and leans forward on the table. "Though, I do not think you got my name from the right memory."  
"You killed thousands in the New York attack," she stutters.  
"Wrong memory." He sighs and leans back. "Just so you know, I was not myself when I did that. I was being controlled by someone else."  
"You should be in prison."  
"You should be dead." She presses her lips on top of each other. He rolls his eyes. "Just eat the food, before it gets cold."  
"I'm not hungry anymore."  
"You cannot lie to me, Daphne." The corner of his mouth curls up and his eyes shimmer. "I can tell when you lie." He pats the table. "Now, eat."

She reluctantly finishes her plate as he watches her. It's awkward, but she doesn't say a thing. He cooks well for someone who always has his food made for him, but she's not going to tell him that. She gets up and grabs the plate. She walks to the sink and runs hot water. He chuckles. "You do not have to clean that, you know?"  
"Anything to not have to look at you." Suddenly, he's behind her. When did he get up from his chair?  
"You may not have to apologize to me, but I do think some gratitude would suit you well." She breathes and scrubs the plate, not turning around to look at him.  
"You want me to thank you for making me breakfast after kidnapping me?" Two can play the sass game. She's not strong enough to take him on physically and he may have about 1500 years on her, but she's not going to go down without a fight. He laughs softly.  
"If only you would remember."  
"Remember what?!" Her head shoots around to look at him and he raises an eyebrow at her.  
"It wouldn't be any fun if I just told you." He circles around her to her other side, cocking his head. "And you wouldn't believe me anyways." He squeezes her arm gently and pulls her away from the sink. She doesn't fight him; she knows she's not strong enough. "Let's go for a walk."

...

"Where are we going?" Daphne and Loki are walking through the tall grass. He had hooked her arm through his and tightly holds her against him as they stroll.  
"To where I found you."  
"Found me?"  
"Mhm." It's chilly outside, but not unpleasant. Daphne has no idea what time it is, but the sun isn't at its peak yet, so it must still be early morning.  
"Who needs to apologize to you?"  
"My brother."  
"Thor?"  
"Yes." She presses her lips on top of each other and frowns.  
"Why?"  
"He cannot admit he makes mistakes. I am here to teach him a lesson."  
"Then what do you want with me?"  
"Don't worry, after he's said he is sorry, I will bring you back to New York and you can continue your life as if nothing happened."  
"I don't think I can just forget this."  
"I can make you forget if you want to."  
"I think you played around in my head enough," she scoffs. Loki chuckles and tightens his grip on her.

"You still haven't answered my question." Loki does not reply. "Why am I here?"  
"Because you are one of his mistakes." Daphne wants to stop walking to collect her thoughts but Loki doesn't let her. "He thinks you are dead." She doesn't know what to say back to that. Her mind races. What does he mean with that? Her scar suddenly itches and her eyes grow wide. Her mind somehow finds herself back on the field. The day she got struck. Her head shoots to Loki, who looks down at her and smirks. "Do you remember now?"  
"Not really," she whispers. "Did he..."  
"Not on purpose," Loki states. "He came here to practice. A sorceress had told him he's capable of wielding more energy than he thought he could. That he doesn't need the hammer to have the lightning do his bidding." He stares into the distance.  
"I was hiding in the tall grass..."

It all comes rushing back to her. How she had run away from home to look for her mother after a row with her dad. Loki's grip on her loosens as he feels her mind softening up, letting the memories flow back. Her free hand reaches out to her side to let the grass tickle her palms. She stares ahead as he keeps them walking, almost watching the memories unfold in front of her.  
"The wind was blowing hard and I didn't want to be swooped off my feet, so I laid down and watched the lightning."  
"It frustrated Thor that it didn't seem to work the way the sorceress said it would," Loki sighs. "He didn't know you were there until he hit you." Her back twitches where her scar is. "He found you. Unconscious. And he cried." Daphne blinks a few times. Her mind feels too clear for her to think he's pulling tricks on her again. But she still feels weird. "Odin appeared. He was furious. He told Thor that you could not be saved and he forced Thor back to Asgard. He did not want to leave you behind, but he did."

"How do you know all of this?" She still stares forward. Entranced by the memory that sounds like a bedside story.  
"I was hiding, much like you were." He frowns shortly before looking at Daphne. "Neither Thor nor Odin knew I was there."  
"Then you can't prove it."  
"I cannot." He faces forward again, but stops suddenly, letting go of Daphne, who snaps out of whatever she was in. "But you can." He cocks his head. "We're here." Daphne looks at the ground. It's just grass.  
"This is where it happened?" Loki nods.  
"This is where I found you after Thor and Odin left." They both stare at the ground in front of them.  
"How can I prove it?"

"I was able to wake you and you spoke to me." She turns her head to look Loki in the eyes. She squints, trying to recall what she said.  
"I don't remember that," she mutters.  
"You might never," he sighs. "You were dying, but I couldn't let you."  
"Why not?"  
"Death did not deserve you." She frowns at his phrasing; it was awfully poetic. She couldn't soften up to him. She shouldn't. "You were a child. I could not leave you."  
"Then what did you do?"  
"I put you to sleep." Daphne frowns. He stated it as something so simple.  
"You..." She pauses. "Like in the car?" Loki laughs softly.  
"No, this spell was much stronger. This one aided you in your healing. It exhausted me of magic for three months." He stretches his back and squats, feeling the ground with his hand. "I then carried you to your home. Your father took you from me, unaware of who I am. And I left."

A silence falls between them. The wind picks up softly and rustles the grass. Daphne sits down on the ground next to where Loki is squatting.  
"How did you find me?"  
"Thor was with you ju-"  
"No, I mean in New York." She looks at Loki, trying to find answers in his face, but he is unreadable.  
"To be quite honest..." He sits down too and crosses his legs. "I was looking for another mistake to use against Thor." Daphne frowns. "Meeting you at the Tower was... A happy accident."  
"You mean you didn't plan any of this?"  
"I did not." She lays herself down on the grass, pushing her tongue against her teeth and feeling the squashed blades tickling her neck.  
"What mistake were you initially looking for, then?"  
"That is no longer important."  
"It isn't?" She raises an eyebrow at him as she puts her hands under her head for support.  
"It was a mistake with less impact. I did not know what else to throw at him."  
"So, he doesn't make as many mistakes as you say he does?" Loki laughs at that.  
"He made up for most of his mistakes. He now thinks himself a saint. He is not perfect and I wish to remind him of that."  
"By shoving me in his face?"  
"You are a mistake he cannot fix."  
"Why not?"  
"Because I already did," he says with a triumphant smile. Daphne's brows curl up.  
"Ever since I got struck, I'm not exactly normal anymore."  
"No," he says simply. "But you are alive."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens!!! Please let me know what you think!


	20. Unexpected Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone unexpected shows up on the doorstep.

"Do you think I am evil?"

Daphne was thinking to herself how weird this entire situation is. She got sort of drugged and then kidnapped by a god to her old childhood home so he can prove his brother wrong and now she's on a nostalgia trip and having deep and meaningful conversations with him. They had returned to the house since Daphne was getting cold. Loki mentioned he doesn't really feel it, because of what he is. He didn't want to tell her exactly what, though. With a snap of his fingers, the fireplace was lit. She was making tea in the kitchen when he walked up to her and asked the question. She bounces the bag in the mug of piping hot water.

"I don't think anyone's truly evil."  
"But...?" he challenges her.  
"What answer are you looking for?" She turns to him with raised eyebrows. "You kidnapped me. And it doesn't matter to what extent the Battle of New York was your doing, you were at the center of it. You may have saved my life, but that does not erase the bad."  
"I know it doesn't." Daphne turns back to the mug and shifts her attention and the tea bag to the other mug.  
"I'm not gonna take credit for the quote, cause it's not mine, but a character in a TV show once said 'cool motive, still murder' and I think that applies to you." Daphne offers Loki one of the mugs and he chuckles.  
"I suppose." Daphne purses her lips and walks to the living room where the fire is softly crackling.

She curls up on the couch, draping one of the throw blankets over her legs and taking small sips of the tea, so she won't burn her mouth.  
"Will he come?" Her mind races to the other god, who still visits earth regularly. Thor.  
"He is aware of the chaos I am causing. He should be here soon." Loki sits down next to Daphne on the couch, he leans his head back.  
"Chaos?"  
"The Avengers are looking for you." Daphne scoffs.  
"I think they are looking for _you._"  
"Just me?" He shoots her a playful glance as he sips his tea.  
"I'm not that important."  
"You are undervaluing yourself. Do you really think no one is looking for you?"  
"Peter is." Loki snorts.  
"That boy? He is nothing but trouble."  
"Perhaps." She takes another sip. "But at least he is genuinely kind to me."  
"And I am not?"  
"Your words might be kind, but you're like..." She takes a second to think of the right comparison. "A double-edged sword."  
"So is Peter."  
"You don't know him."  
"I know him better than you might think." She stares at Loki for a bit. He takes another sip of the tea, staring straight back at her.  
"I think you're full of shit." Loki nearly chokes on his drink. He laughs and shrugs.  
"I can still hurt you if I want to, you know that right?"  
"Like I said," she states as she takes another sip. Her bluffing makes her heart beat a little faster. "Full of shit."  
"Please, explain."  
"I don't think I will." She smirks and raises her eyebrows at him.

Suddenly, Loki looks in the direction of the door. He presses his lips on top of each other and puts down his cup. He swiftly gets up and takes Daphne's mug away from her. "Hey, I was still drinking that!" He puts his finger to his lips.  
"Ssh." There's a knock. Daphne's head turns to the door, her eyes are wide. She's frozen under the blanket. "Daphne, dear," he says softly. He takes her hands and guides her to her feet. "You are going to open the door and tell whoever is there to go away." Her breath is stuck in her throat. She looks at Loki, knowing very well what he will do to them if she doesn't do as he says.

His hand ghosts on her back as he walks her to the door. He hides around the corner, where she can still see him from the corner of her eyes. She tries to control her breathing and the rapid beating of her heart. Her hand goes to the door knob, but everything seems to go in slow motion. She twists it and pulls the door towards her to open it. She didn't expect _him_ to be out there.

"David?" She's frozen. "What are you doing here?"  
"You left New York, so I followed."  
"You shouldn't be here." She closes the door a little, but he steps forward.  
"Don't you understand that I love you?"  
"You love me too much and you are putting yourself at risk."  
"Are you alone?"  
"No."  
"Then who else is in there? That Peter guy you've been hanging out with? I'll rip his throat out, you know that."  
"Eaaasy now," Loki singsongs as he pulls the door open further and makes himself known. He grins wide. David recognizes him immediately and takes a step back.  
"Daphne, what's going on?"  
"I need you to go back to New York, okay?"  
"I'm not leaving you with this creep!"

Loki opens his mouth to reply, but Daphne steps in front of him.  
"David," she pleads. "Just this once. Please, go home."  
"I will go if you kiss me." She stares at him. She must've heard him wrong. Who in their right mind would ask this of her. Now?! Loki watches the scene unfold, rather amused at the horrid toxicity of their relationship. He leans in to Daphne, pressing his nose against her hair and whispers, soft enough so David can't hear.  
"I can get rid of him if you want me to." His voice sounded like it was coated with honey. It was tempting. So tempting. All the times David caused her anxiety. All the pain and paranoia he's inflicted upon her. It could just stop forever. All she had to do was ask. She turns to face Loki and has to look up to find his gaze piercing through her. He's waiting for her reply.  
"I'll deal with it," she whispers loudly.

She turns back to David and steps outside, pressing her closed lips against his. He instinctively grabs her face and after a few seconds she lets go of him. He still holds on to her.  
"Daphne," he whimpers, wanting to taste more than just her dry lips. She stares him straight in the eyes as their noses touch.  
"Go," she orders. His fingers linger on her skin, but he lets go and steps back. Loki pulls at her arm, urging her back inside and he smiles at David before he closes the door and locks it again.

"Aww, wasn't that sweet." Loki turns around to Daphne and sighs. "How did it feel? Being the hero?" She looks away, not replying. She wipes her mouth aggressively with her shirt. "Seems like we can't stay here, though." She stops to glare at him.  
"I think I'm done being a nice prisoner." Loki laughs.  
"You're still a mortal, Daphne." He crosses his arms. "You cannot beat me."  
"I can try." She stands still for a few seconds, staring defiantly at him. Loki chuckles at the near-comical situation. She's obviously trying to come up with a plan right on the spot.

To his surprise, she suddenly she runs. She elegantly leaps over the couch and he rushes after her. She grabs her tea mug and throws it at him. He yelps when the hot water hits his hand.  
"You-!" She's now on her way to the kitchen and reaches out for the knife stand. She gets a hold of two and turns back to Loki who now stands with his hands up. One is red from the hot tea that she threw at him, but it didn't burn him.  
"I _will_ stab you!" She yells at him.  
"Oh no." Loki pretends he's cornered. "Whatever shall I do." A second Loki suddenly appears behind her, grabbing her wrists and slightly pressing into them with his thumbs, making her yelp and drop the knives to the ground. The Loki in front of her disappears. She pushes and pulls and kicks, but it doesn't seem to faze him at all.

"Let go of me!"  
"I suggest you stop struggling or I will put you to sleep again, child!" He lets go of her and she stumbles forward, barely keeping her balance. She pants with her jaw tightened. Her mind races. He wants to leave this place.  
"Where are we going then?" She says through gritted teeth. He thinks for a second, letting her calm down.  
"Well, if Thor will not come here, I will just have to bring you to Thor."

...

She struggled. Again. Loki is getting bored of this game.  
"I am not going to Asgard!" she screams. She had locked herself in the bathroom.  
"You know locking the door will not stop me, right?" There's a loud thud. "Or barricading the door."  
"Just let me go home!"  
"_After_ I show you to Thor, Daphne."  
"I don't want to meet him! I want to go home!" He can hear her sob and he groans in frustration. She was supposed to like him. He granted her life! She should be grateful! He didn't want for her to be sad. He sighs.  
"Alright." He sits down on the bed he put her in earlier and wipes his hand again.

She yelps as the barricade she created moves back to its original position by itself and the door unlocks and opens. She's on the floor, with her back against the bathtub, staring straight at Loki. The opening of the door frames her like a picture with a white-tiled background. Her hair is all over the place and her eyes and cheeks are red from crying.  
"Please, don't take me there," she whispers.  
"I promise I will not take you to Asgard." She stares at him in disbelief.  
"You lie."  
"Never to you." She pulls in her legs, making herself small. He hates to admit that it aches him to see her scared of him. She sniffs. He doesn't want her to cry and he doesn't want to be the reason for her tears.  
"Then where are we going?" Her voice cracks and Loki thinks for a few seconds, letting a heavy silence fall between them as they stare at each other, eyes locked. She doesn't want to go off-world and therefore he won't do that to her, he decides. Loki quietly wonders what makes him so soft for her.  
"Anywhere the car drives us."


	21. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki stalls for time with his manipulative words until his brother arrives.

"Take off the suit." Peter turns his head to Tony, completely surprised.  
"What?" He leans forward in his chair. They're in one of the Quinjets, on their way to save Daphne. Stark's satellites confirmed she and Loki are in her old childhood home.  
"Daphne's gonna need someone she trusts after all this."  
"She's met Spider-Man before," Peter fights back.  
"And you really think that's who she needs right now?" Tony raises an eyebrow at Peter. Peter sighs defeated and gets up to grab his backpack with his clothes.

Peter won't be able to join the fight against Loki the way Spider-Man could. He guesses Tony is trying to protect him from himself. He and Pepper both kept blabbering about him doing something he'd regret if he wouldn't calm down, but Peter honestly wouldn't regret punching Loki in the face right now. Peter finishes getting ready by putting on his sneakers and he reluctantly stuffs his Spider-Man suit in his backpack. Tony is getting ready to get out of the jet in his own suit. Natasha is flying the jet with Bucky and Steve is having a casual chat with them. Peter hates how they're all so calm. He knows it's the only sensible thing to be, but Peter's emotions seem to have erased the word sensible from his brain.

He has to get her back.

...

"After you," Loki says with a big grin on his face. He holds the front door in one hand and gestures for Daphne to step out with the other. She takes a breath and looks back one more time to the house she once called home.  
"Right..." She mumbles as she turns and steps outside. She waits on the front porch for Loki to close the door and they both make their way to Tony's car that's still parked outside. He overtakes her and opens the door to the passenger seat.  
"There you go." He waits patiently for her, but she stops.  
"I can use my own hands for this kind of stuff, you know?" She cocks her head. "I'm not helpless."  
"You know I mean well." Loki seems offended.  
"Sure you do, Mr. Kidnapper."  
"Alright, alright." He closes the car door again and steps back with raised hands and raised eyebrows. He gestures to the car. "Then you get in yourself."

Daphne reaches for the handle when she hears engines whir in the distance. She frowns and looks at Loki, who looks at the sky. He lets out an exasperated sigh.  
"What?"  
"Get in the car, now." He moves towards Daphne to make sure she does as he says. She pulls the handle, but the door won't open.  
"Uh, it's locked." She looks at Loki and makes some over-dramatic movements trying to open it. Loki utters some swears and curses Daphne's never heard before.

He suddenly grabs her arm and she yelps. The whirring engines get louder. She looks back and sees two objects in the sky coming closer and closer, the aircraft in the back is bigger than the red and gold one in front. _Iron Man._ He must've locked the car from a distance.  
"Then you'll have to run with me."  
"I'm not that fast, you kno-AAH" Daphne's complaint is cut short by Loki throwing her over his shoulder. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Gently put down the girl." There's a voice behind her, but she can't see who it is. It's got some sort of robotic overlay and it sounds a whole lot like...  
"Ah, Tony!" Loki puts on a big smile. There's a thud. Tony must've landed. "I think she's alright here."  
"I'm _not!_" Daphne screams. She tries to kick and punch, but it seems to have no effect on Loki. "Let me go!"  
"I'm not gonna say please or thank you, just put her down, Loki." She can feel Loki's muscles tensing and she groans.  
"I won't run," she promises. "Just let me go." He slowly guides her to her feet and stares straight at her.  
"I keep my word, if you keep yours," he states.  
"I won't run," she repeats. She turns her head to Iron Man who cocks his head confused.

The aircraft that flew behind him has landed a little bit further and the people who were in there are now jogging towards them. Daphne's eyes grow wide when she sees Peter is one of them. She wants to take a sprint and hug him, hold him. But she holds back.  
"Alright, what's going on here?" Iron Man doesn't sound too happy.  
"Well-"  
"I asked Daphne." Loki immediately holds his tongue, pursing his lips. Daphne stares at the intimidating mask she was studying up close just yesterday.  
"It's a long story," she mutters.  
"Then tell it quickly."  
"Daphne!" Peter runs as fast as he can allow himself.

Holding back his super strength is awfully painful right now as he sees Daphne standing right next to Loki. She looks like she cried.  
"Hold it, kid." Tony stops Peter in his tracks when he gets there. "Can't just attack a demi-god." Peter groans inwardly, but he locks eyes with Daphne. She doesn't look as scared as he thought she'd be.  
"Isn't puppy love the most adorable thing?" Loki laughs and his hand ghosts over Daphne's upper back. "Daphne sure is loved by many."  
"Loki, don't," she whispers, her face twisting into a frown. The others who were in the jet join Tony and Peter.

"Don't what?" Loki cocks his head at her. "Don't tell them how utterly incompetent they are? To the point where some lovesick psychopath found you sooner than the man with the most resources on Midgard?"  
"David?" Peter stutters. "What?"  
"He visited about an hour ago." Loki smiles cheekily.  
"Where is he now?" Steve puffs his chest, demanding an answer.  
"Oh, our little heroine here saved his life with a kiss." He places a hand on her shoulder and squeezes softly. Daphne looks at her feet, but she can feel Peter's eyes piercing through her.  
"You're twisting what happened," she mumbles.  
"Well, no, actually. You did kiss him."  
"You're lying!" Peter shouts suddenly. His hands have turned into fists. He's shaking.  
"Why would I?" Loki raises one eyebrow and chuckles.  
"Because that's just what you do!"  
"Peter..." Daphne looks at him. Her eyebrows are curled into a frown and her shoulders droop.

Peter's chest tightens and the world shatters around him. The look on her face says enough. Loki was telling the truth.  
"Please, let me expl-" She pauses abruptly. Confusion spreads across her face. "What the..." She seems to respond to something, physically. She jolts. Her face twists in pain and she grabs at her back. An agonizing cry comes out of her mouth. Before the Avengers can respond, Loki grabs her and holds her to him.  
"Finally," he whispers. "He's here!"

Dark clouds gather above them. Thunder rumbles in the distance. It makes Daphne shake.  
"What are you feeling?" Loki asks her as he holds her tightly to keep her from falling to the ground. She's not really hearing him.  
"My scar," she pants. "M-M..." Lighting crashes nearby and she screams again. She clutches Loki's jacket. White spots cover her eyesight.  
"Stop hurting her!" Natasha yells.  
"I'm not hurting her," Loki roars. His eyes turn dark and his voice turns soft. "My brother is." As if on cue, an array of rainbow colors come together in the sky. They pierce the air until they hit the ground.

The one and only God of Thunder walks out, his hammer up high; ready to strike.  
"Loki!"  
"Thor, stop it with this awful weather. Can you not see what you are inflicting upon this girl?" Thor's expression immediately softens as he sees small bolts of electricity emitting from the back of the young one Loki is holding. He lowers Mjölnir and the rumbling stops immediately.  
"What do you think you are doing, brother?" He steps closer when he sees Daphne's muscles relax.  
"I am here to teach you about your mistakes, that is all!"  
"This endless discussion again?! Just let go of the girl and teach me, then!" Daphne's grip on Loki softens as she catches her breath. She whimpers softly, closing her eyes as the pain in her back finally settles.  
"I am afraid that won't do," Loki states.  
"How come?"  
"Because she is your mistake."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confrontations yayy!


	22. An Apology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki confronts Thor and demands an apology.

"Remember Ravir?"  
"The sorceress?" Thor frowns. He stands a good distance away from Loki and Daphne, afraid that he might hurt her again.  
"Who told you of your power?" Loki still has to hold Daphne up, to ensure she doesn't fall to her knees. Her forehead rests against his chest. The excruciating pain that rushed through her scar exhausted her completely. "Who told you that you could control the lightning without the help of your hammer?"  
"She was wrong."  
"She was right," Loki bounces back. "But you gave up after you made your mistake."  
"Loki, please get to the point."

"How many years ago was it? Tell me," Loki nods at his brother, showing his teeth like a cornered wolf.  
"I do not know that by heart, Lo-"  
"Eight," Loki growls. "Eight years ago." He shoots a glance at Daphne. She's still awake, he can tell by her tensing muscles as he talks. "You decided to practice a few miles from here. Eight years ago." No one speaks, so Loki continues. "Daphne, dear, will you please tell me how old you are."  
"Sixteen," she mutters into Loki's chest. It was only barely loud enough for everyone to hear.  
"And..." Loki pauses for dramatic effect. "When did you get struck by lightning?"  
"Holy shit," Iron Man breaks the conversation for a second. He has put the puzzle pieces together.  
"Eight years ago," Daphne whispers.

"Can you stand, dearest?" Loki gently takes her hands off him. She nods weakly, pushing herself away from him. She seems out of balance, but finds stability by leaning against the car. Loki's head shoots to Thor, who's frozen in place. He stares at Daphne, confusion filling his mind. "You came to Midgard to attempt the magic you still cannot control. Your frustration only grew with your ineptness to practice what Ravir said you could! Then you summoned Mjölnir, to prove to yourself just how powerful you are." Loki shakes his head. "I cannot remember a time you summoned a stronger bolt of lightning than you did that day. Your anger with yourself fueled you in a way I have yet to see you do again." He turns his head to Daphne. "You hadn't seen the young girl hiding in the tall grass. You cried out when you realized what you had done and sobbed like a child as you held her. And when father, who was furious with your irresponsibility, came to retrieve you, you followed him home."

"Loki, I-"  
"You left her to die that day!"  
"I did not mean to! Father-"  
"Ah yes, father said she was already dead!" Loki points accusingly at Thor. Rage seeps from every word he utters. "You knew he was wrong!" Thor has no words to say. "We have healers on Asgard, you could've helped her!"  
"But I didn't." Thor drops his hammer and looks at the ground. Loki was right. He left her to die. He frowns and looks back up at his brother. "How did you-"  
"You really think that when a sorceress tells you about a powerful magic that you possess, that I will not watch you try to wield it?"  
"I didn't know you were there."

"The girl is lucky that you didn't. And that father didn't!" Loki is panting now. All his cooped-up energy is now releasing itself in pure anger. "Admit it, brother!" He yells. "Admit that this is a mistake you cannot fix!"  
"How do you know I cannot fix it?"  
"Because I already fixed it for you!" Loki turns to Daphne, who just stares at him. Loki didn't seem as furious about this whole situation before as he is now. What changed?  
"What do you mean, brother?"  
"Do you remember what was different about me when I came home after you?!" Thor takes a step back and frowns as he thinks.  
"You..." He looks up as he realizes. "You couldn't use magic for three months." Daphne gasps softly. This proved to her that Loki really was telling the truth.

"When you and father left, I found Daphne in the grass. She was painted in blood and burn marks. Her back was covered with a branched wound as a result of your outburst. She was unconscious." Loki's voice softens as he thinks back to how she looked. "I had to use _three_ months' worth of my magic to keep her from dying." His voice turned dark during the last part of that sentence. He looks down, before glancing back at Daphne. "I put her to sleep with an Echor spell and I brought her home." A long silence falls. The present Avengers can only stare at the scene unfolding in front of them. All of it seems unreal. "You pretended like it never happened. Evaded my attempts to talk about it with you. I came to earth wanting an apology from you, brother. But I do not want it anymore. Not for me." He shakes his head and steps away from Daphne as he points at her. "I want you to apologize to _her_."

A gust of wind blows when Loki speaks. Thor stares at Daphne and she stares back at him. She doesn't know what to think. She didn't expect this sudden change in Loki's plan. He was so focused on making Thor admit to his mistakes. Now he just dropped all of it, to make Thor apologize to her. Thor clears his throat. Daphne's heart beats loudly in her chest. The actual god of thunder is going to talk to her now. He's still quite a bit away from her, but his voice carries easily, though it cracks as he speaks. Like a defeated king.  
"I... I was foolish, young Daphne. I was wrong to follow father blindly. And I was wrong to leave you. I should not have come to Midgard to practice with such powerful magic. I should have known better." He pauses as he looks down and swallows. When he looks back up, she sees tears in his eyes. He seems frustrated with himself. "I know words cannot make up for what I have done. But for what it is worth... I truly am... So, so sorry." His breath hitches in his throat.

Loki takes another step forward.  
"I'm afraid that's no-" Daphne cuts him short by stumbling to stand up straight and putting her hand on his arm. She doesn't look at Loki. Her gaze is still locked with Thor's. The air feels thick. She breathes heavily, trying to get enough oxygen in to say what she wants to say. It comes out as a whisper.  
"I forgive you."  
"Daphne-" Loki starts but she silences him by looking straight at him. His gaze softens when she grabs his hand and holds it to her chest. Pausing to once again gain enough strength to speak.  
"Thank you, Loki."  
"For what?" His lip curves up into a mischievous smile for a split second.  
"For the bangin' breakfast you made me this morning." He chuckles at her forced joke and she gives him a soft punch to the chest. "You know damn well what for." She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes again.

"You need a bed, dear."  
"My own, if you don't mind."  
"I think that can be arranged." She holds up her hand in front of his face. Palm aimed to the sky. He cocks his head at her.  
"My phone," she breathes. She's still leaning on him with her eyes closed. "You said-"  
"I know what I said," Loki laughs softly as he makes her phone appear from thin air. She didn't see it happening, though. He carefully places it in her hand and curls her fingers around it. "There you are. You are free to go home now, Daphne." The Avengers are still all at a loss for words.

"Peter..." Daphne mumbles. She frowns, her eyes still closed. Her knees buck.  
"You heard her, boy. I cannot let go of her without her falling, so I suggest you come pick her up." Loki looks at Peter who finally feels like he can move again. Whatever anger he felt against Loki, he feels absolutely numb now. There was simply too much to process. He's still stiff, trying to make sense of everything that just happened.

He takes small, quick steps towards Daphne and feels a near overwhelming warmth when he holds her again. The new regulator Tony produced seems to work properly, but feeling Daphne after being so stressed for her all night makes him feel more. He can't find it in himself to smile, though. Daphne confirming she kissed David earlier that morning makes him sick to the stomach. He doesn't know what happened exactly, so he shouldn't make assumptions, but his brain can't help but throw the thought around in his head. She kissed David. She kissed the guy she's so immensely scared of. Why would she do that? Why would she kiss him?

Peter easily picks Daphne up bridal style and she immediately wraps her arms around him, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. Loki suddenly grabs Peter's shoulder when he turns away, and stares intently at the teen.  
"She saved his life, Peter," he says bluntly. "She did not do it out of love." Peter frowns, not exactly understanding what Loki means with that, but he nods. He doesn't say anything as he turns further, making Loki let go of his shoulder. He starts walking to the Quinjet, but stops in his tracks when Daphne starts talking again.  
"Loki," she mutters. She still has her eyes closed.  
"Yes, Daphne?"  
"I meant everything I said this morn..." She doesn't finish her thought, relaxing completely in Peter's arms. She's sleeping. Though Loki knows what she meant with it.

_"I don't think anyone's truly evil."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki's also still full of shit, like she said that morning. She said everything, she really did mean everything. :P It took me a few days to figure out this dialogue. I hope you liked it! Let me know what you think!


	23. Doctors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Multiple doctors check up on Daphne in their own ways.

"I'm sorry, Derek, she really has to stay here a little longer." Daphne has her eyes closed, but she can hear Tony speaking in the distance. She's laying on her side, hiding her face in her hands and her back feels cold, like it's exposed.  
"Shouldn't she be at a hospital?"  
"Trust me, she gets better care here than in a public hospital." Tony clears his throat. "Besides, I want Doctor Strange to check up on her. See if Loki did anything to her that she might not remember."  
"When will he be here?" Her dad sounds worried, but Daphne can't get herself to move. She feels too heavy.  
"Soon-ish." Derek sighs defeated at Tony's reply.  
"I... I can't pay for any of this special treatment," he says.  
"Don't sweat it, D." Daphne hears a soft thud. She assumes Tony pat her dad on the shoulder. "It's all taken care of."  
"Thank you, Mr. Stark. For everything."

"...Dad?" Her voice cracks from not using it for a while. She flutters her eyes and tries to turn onto her back.  
"Daphne, please don't move," Tony says sternly. She immediately stops turning and frowns, confused why her back aches so much. It takes everything she has to open her eyes properly, but it's not happening. She feels her father hold her hand as he kneels down next to her.  
"You're awake," he whispers. She can hear his voice break.  
"I think so," she mutters. "Where-"  
"You're back in New York." Daphne doesn't feel like lifting her head to look at Tony.  
"Thank fuck," she whispers.  
"Can you open your eyes?" her father asks.  
"Mm..."  
"Daphne, you're gonna have to stay awake for us, okay?" She hears Tony shift around the room.  
"F.R.I.D.A.Y., notify doctor Cho and doctor Banner that Daphne has woken up. I need them here, stat."

When the doctors arrived they helped Daphne sit upright. After a few minutes she was finally able to open her eyes completely, but the edge of her eyesight was slightly blurred.  
"Daphne, can you tell me how old you are?" She stares at doctor Cho, who shines a light into her eyes to check the dilation of her pupils.  
"Sixteen." Her voice is lulled, still half-asleep.  
"Do you know what day it is?"  
"Depends on how long I've been sleeping," Daphne says with a slight chuckle. She looks out the window and sees that it's still bright outside. "Saturday...? Still?" She sighs.  
"I'm going to give you a simple math equation, do you - keep your eyes on me, Daphne, don't close them - do you think you can solve it for me?"  
"I suck at math," Daphne groans. She drops her head backwards.  
"Four times six?"  
"Twenty-four?" She blinks a few times and brings her head back up with raised eyebrows as she looks at doctor Cho.

"How are you feeling?" Daphne's quiet for a second, assessing herself as she pouts.  
"Hungry," she states simply.  
"Is that all?"  
"My back itches."  
"That's good, itching means it's healing." Daphne frowns.  
"Healing?"  
"Thor reopened your scar with the magic he projected." Daphne scrunches her face when doctor Cho says that.  
"Ouch." Doctor Cho laughs softly.  
"Ouch, indeed."

"Daphne!" She immediately perks up when she hears Peter's voice. He stands in the doorway.  
"Peter?"  
"I heard you were awake, I came as fast as I could." His hair is all over the place. He seems like he hasn't slept much. He makes his way into the room but gets held back by Bruce.  
"Take it easy, Pete." He nods at doctor Cho. "She's still being examined."  
"I'm just about done." doctor Cho smiles. "Though, I do think we would all like to know exactly what happened." Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and looks at her hands, resting in her lap.  
"A lot and nothing at the same time," she says. Tony crosses his arms.  
"You were kidnapped by Loki and we all know what he's capable of. What do you remember?" Tony cocks his head at her.

"Why do you all think I don't remember anything?"  
"We didn't say-" Bruce starts.  
"You're implying that he messed around in my head," Daphne scoffs. "Which he didn't." She pulls in her legs. "All he did was knock me out with a sleeping spell in the car and when I woke up the next morning we did a shit ton of talking." Bruce shrugs while looking at Tony apologetically.  
"He does talk a lot," Bruce confirms.  
"How can you be so sure he didn't do more?" Tony raises an eyebrow.  
"Because he said he wouldn't harm me."  
"And you believe him?"  
"I do." She stares defiantly at Tony. Loki didn't do anything to her, she's sure of it. "Where are they anyways?"  
"What; Thor and Loki?" Tony shakes his head. "Thor took him back to Asgard for punishment the second Peter took you back. We didn't get to lay a finger on him." Daphne frowns.

"There are no signs of him doing anything to her physically. There's only slight bruising on her wrists, but it doesn't look like the type of bruising you get from being tied up. Can you explain this to us?" Doctor Cho points at the dark spots on the inside of Daphne's wrists. Daphne scoffs.  
"I attacked him with two kitchen knives." Daphne's father chokes on the water he's drinking.  
"You did _what?!_"  
"I threw hot tea over his hand and then I grabbed two knives. All he did was defend himself by making me let go of them." Daphne fights the urge to scratch her scar and shrugs. "I think that -overall - I hurt him more than he hurt me."  
"I find that very unlikely." Tony frowns. "Strange better show up soon."

...

It's about seven o'clock in the evening when Doctor Strange arrives. Daphne got to eat some pasta and Peter hasn't left her side since she woke up. They didn't speak much, but just having him around made Daphne a whole lot more calm about all of this. She didn't really like all of this attention. She'd rather just go home. She finally felt actually awake when they cleaned her wound again. It stung like hell and she hoped that would be the last time they'd touch her back. She's pretty sure everyone on the floors above and below her have heard her swear at the treatment. She's surprised she didn't break Peter's hands from all the squeezing.

Doctor Strange doesn't really look like a doctor. He's wearing some kind of blue tunic and an excessive red cape that seems to move on its own. He ordered everyone to leave the room, so it's just the two of them. The air feels weird. He's awfully quiet and it makes Daphne shuffle where she sits. He just stares at her like he's confused about something.  
"So, you're a doctor?" She breaks the silence. He cocks his head, as if he didn't expect her to talk. The way he studies her makes her very uncomfortable.  
"Yes." Daphne raises an eyebrow and decides to not ask any more questions. He doesn't seem like a cheerful, talkative guy. "Also Sorcerer Supreme." Okay, maybe a little talkative.  
"Quite the title."  
"I didn't come up with it." Doctor Strange sits down next to the bed, on a chair.

He gestures she should sit opposite him, with her feet hanging down from the bed, and she does. He stares intently at her and it makes her feel awkward. She clears her throat after a little bit.  
"So, uh, what do you want me to do?"  
"Just close your eyes and relax," he orders. "And stop talking."  
"Kinda hard with you staring like that."  
"Just do it." She sighs and does as he says. She relaxes her muscles, closes her eyes and waits. After about a minute she feels something poking at the inside of her head. It feels incredibly weird.  
"What are y-"  
"Don't. Talk." Daphne presses her lips on top of each other as she feels an odd wave float through her brain. It makes her feel woozy and a little nauseous. Maybe she shouldn't have eaten the entire plate of pasta. Suddenly it's gone and she hears him stand up. She opens her eyes and looks at him as he walks to the door.  
"Doctor?"  
"You're fine. You spoke the truth. He only put a sleeping spell on you yesterday. Nothing more." And with that he's gone and she's left alone. Completely confused.


	24. Diagnosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kissing situation is cleared up and Doctor Strange brings Tony some unsettling news.

Peter walks into the room with his laptop not much later and he gently puts it down on the bed at Daphne's feet.  
"Hey," he says softly.  
"Hi."  
"You okay?"  
"I think so..."  
"What did he do?" Peter asks, referring to Doctor Strange.  
"I dunno, felt like he was probing around in my head."  
"Sounds uncomfortable."  
"It was." She stares at her hands as a silence falls. Peter stands there awkwardly. He wants to say something, but he doesn't really know what. "I'm sorry for making you worry," she whispers.

"Hey..." He sits down on his knees next to the bed and takes her hands out of her lap. His thumb rubs slow circles on her skin. "It's okay, it's not your fault. Don't be sorry."  
"But I am, though."  
"I know," he sighs, understanding. "But it's really okay, I promise. You're here now. You're safe. All is good." She stares into his kind eyes. He looks absolutely exhausted.  
"Loki would have killed David if he didn't leave," Daphne says suddenly, aiming to answer all the questions Peter has about this. "David wouldn't leave without a kiss." Peter frowns and nods, understanding why she did it. He looks at her hands, which he's still holding.  
"And he left?"  
"As far as I know, yes." It's quiet for a second.

Peter's thoughts race through his mind. She kissed David. She really kissed him. Even though she's fears him like nothing else, she did it. To save his life.  
"Did... Did you like kissing him?"  
"God, no." Daphne moves away, revolted by the memory. She shivers. "It was a peck. No tongue. And even that felt like too much." She then sighs. "But I couldn't let him die." Peter smiles at her.  
"You're very brave, you know that?"  
"I think stubborn's the word you're looking for."  
"Stubbornly brave," he laughs softly. His expression softens as he looks at her again. "I, uh... I brought my laptop."  
"I see that."  
"We were going to watch Manon tonight, but I'm not sure if you're in the mood for that right now?"  
"I'd rather watch something mind numbing," she admits.  
"La Sylphide?" She smiles at his proposition.  
"Yes, please."

Peter quickly opens his laptop and browses around his files to find the right one. He preps a chair next to her bed but Daphne slowly lifts her sheets.   
"Is the regulator charged enough for you to join me?"  
"Mr. Stark worked all night to make the regulator we discussed, so it should charge when I touch you instead of drain."  
"He...?"  
"Yeah." Peter smiles at his feet. They both stare at the laptop screen as he opens the right file.  
"So, are you gonna get in or what?" Daphne cocks her head at Peter, who now turns red.  
"I mean, only if you want to."  
"I offered, you doofus," she laughs. "Just don't touch my back, please." She winces at the thought. She's completely bandaged right now, but the wound needs time to heal. It still stings when she moves.  
"I won't, I promise." He takes off his sneakers and throws them in the corner.

He swiftly gets in and Daphne covers him with the sheets. She lays down next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. She has to remember to not lay on her back, so having Peter there to support her was actually quite nice. Instinctively, she wraps her arm around his waist, not noticing how he tenses under her touch for a split second. He can barely believe what's happening. The way he can feel her chest rise and fall with her breathing is strangely intimate. The warmth she gives him doesn't burn anymore. It's pleasant. Trusting. Peaceful, somehow. The music of the ballet fills the room, but not even fifteen minutes after it started, they're both snoring softly as they're cuddled up to each other.

...

"She's a channeling device, Tony!" Stephen Strange raises his eyebrows in disbelief. "Or whatever the human version of that is." He shakes his head at the thought.   
"A what now?" Tony frowns confused, leaning back in his office chair. "You're telling me she's not human?"  
"She's human, just not... just human." Stephen's face contorts. "She was touched by two powerful magics in a short time span as a child. One that kills and one that gives life. It turned her into a bearer of magic that can be channeled and used."  
"Can she use it?" Tony asks. It's just the two of them in Tony's office.  
"No, as far as I know, she can't control it. She only carries it with her." He turns back to Tony.

"This is bad, Tony. It means she could become the target of a collector, or someone who wants to use a strong spell."  
"Explain."  
"Sometimes magic wielders need a little more magic to make powerful spells reality. We use objects that carry magic inside them to give us that extra push. Sometimes we use natural elements, like a full moon or fire." Stephen shakes his head. "I've only read about people as a means of channeling magic once, but I've never seen one in real life. It's incredibly rare."  
"How did you know, then?" Tony spins in his chair, seeming disinterested. However, his mind is running fast.  
"I felt I could draw from her the second I walked into that room."  
"Should we tell her?"  
"No." Stephen takes a step towards Tony. "The more people know, the more in danger she'll be. This has to stay between us."

"Loki probably knows."  
"Loki is the one who turned her into a channeling, er... person, device, whichever- doesn't matter. Whether he did it on purpose or by accident is not important. He used his life's magic to heal her. He's not a threat to her, he couldn't kill her if he tried."  
"You mean she's immune to him?"  
"He can hurt her but he can't kill her without harming himself."  
"Jesus Christ," Tony pushes out his breath as he gets up from his desk. "What do we do?"  
"Ignore it."  
"Excuse me?"  
"As long as no one else knows about this, she will be safe." Stephen crosses his arms and scratches his beard.  
"Then why tell me?" Tony walks around his desk towards Stephen.  
"Because I need you to know."  
"Stop riddling and just tell me why." Stephen groans with frustration. Why does Tony always ask so many questions?!  
"Maybe one day I will be tempted to use her." He frowns at the thought. He's already disgusted just thinking of the possibility. "Someone needs to know and I need someone I trust."  
"And you trust me?" Tony raises an eyebrow, amused at the thought.  
"I trust you enough. If it ever comes to it, you will have to talk sense into me."  
"Why?"  
"Channeling her could kill her."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun DUUUUUN!


	25. Match Maker and Moment Killer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne buys some muffins and Tony Stark ruins the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLUFF WARNING!

It's strange how quickly everything turned back to normal after that. Daphne went to school again on Monday and the day flew by. David still stared at her from the back of the class, but at least Loki didn't actually kill him. He didn't approach her that day like he normally would, but he did follow her home as usual.

Tuesday went the same. Though, that day she has ballet class to look forward to. And Peter. They've been texting non-stop since what happened. He makes her feel warm and safe and he makes her look forward to the pas de deux classes. There's no one she trusts more to catch her than Peter. Her back is still a little sensitive, but it's nothing she can't handle. The wound is healing properly and it honestly doesn't even look different from before. It's still just her scar. She grabs her phone when it buzzes.

_Cindy:_ _  
Ready for class?_

_Daphne:_ _  
Almost, just gotta get you a muffin at the bakery around the corner._

_Cindy:_ _  
Muffin??????_

_Daphne:_ _  
I was gonna get u a snack at some point, but I completely forgot. But not today! U got a fave?_

_Cindy:_ _  
Booberry, please!_

Daphne chuckles and sends him a few ghost emojis before putting her phone away and walking into the little bakery. The entire shop is covered in Halloween decorations.  
"Daphne!" The middle-aged lady behind the counter smiles wide. "Haven't seen you in a while!"  
"Emma, hi!" Daphne walks up to all the delicious treats, safe from her grabby fingers behind the glass. "I need to watch my weight, but I honestly can't stay away from your baking." She sighs delighted.  
"The usual?" Emma already walks towards Daphne's favorite cheesecake.

"No, not today," Daphne says cheerfully. "I promised someone I'd buy him a blueberry muffin."  
"_Him?_" Emma wiggles her eyebrows. Daphne blushes a bright red and chuckles.  
"It's not like that, Em!"  
"Oh, sure, it's not!" Emma shouts as she walks to the back. "I recognize that look on your face!" Daphne can hear Emma grinning through her words. Daphne hides her face in her hands.

Emma always talks about how Daphne should find someone. When Daphne showed up with David at the start of their one week together, Emma practically hissed like a cat. She didn't like him. She'd whispered to Daphne that he was bad news. She was right. Emma's somehow always right.

Emma returns from the back with a brown bag. Daphne knows Emma keeps her best batch of every treat she makes that day in the back. She'd told Daphne that's only for her customers who deserve a little extra. Daphne shakes her head and takes the paper bag from Emma. She notices it's a bit heavier than it should be and she shoots a glance at Emma.  
"Em?"  
"Oh, I just put in another one for you! Or did you want to share the one?" She wiggles her eyebrows again and Daphne laughs out loud.  
"You better make me pay for it."  
"What did you say?" Emma says cheekily as she fills in one muffin at the till. "I didn't hear you, dearie."

"You're gonna go bankrupt like this one day," Daphne snorts as she opens the bag to see what's in it.  
"Business is good, Daph, don't worry about me!" Emma notices Daphne cocking her head. "Oh, that's apple-cinnamon. The flavour matches well with the blueberry," she pauses shortly, grinning wide. "If you know what I mean." Daphne almost throws the money at Emma.  
"Em!" She hands Emma the money and shakes her head. She clutches the bag with muffins in her hand when she turns to walk out. Emma really just told her to kiss him. To kiss Peter. Daphne turns bright red at the thought. The little bell rings as she opens the door.  
"Bring him along next time, dear, I'd love to meet him!"

...

"Food!" Peter exclaims. "Gimme!"  
"Peter, no! It's for _after_ class!" Daphne laughs as he jumps for the little paper bag she got. She holds it behind her back, sticking out her tongue. He pouts as she cocks her head.  
"Fine." He pretends to be angry with her, but he can't help but smile when he sees the mischievous sparkle in her eye. She gets changed and meets Peter again in the dance hall. It's time for class.

"You know, this is still super exhausting. Figured I'd be used to it by now," Peter pants. He lays on the ground like a star fish, like he does after every class. He's been improving rapidly. Daphne laughs as she hovers over him. She's covered in sweat too, but she's handling it much better than Peter is. "I'd love that muffin now." He puts on a cheeky smile.  
"Oh, you glutton!" She gives him a soft kick in his side and quickly makes her way to the exit of the dance hall.  
"Hey, wait up!" He scrambles until he stands up and follows her to the hallway.

She pauses and turns to him, wiggling her eyebrows.  
"How about I give you that muffin when you drop me off at home?"  
"That's bribery!" Peter scoffs amused.  
"Well, are you corrupt?" He chuckles at her question. He glances away for a second before looking back at her with a loud sigh, trying to hide his smile.  
"Very corrupt." He gestures at the women's changing room with a smug grin on his face. "Go get changed, I want my muffin."

...

Daphne starts rummaging through the paper bag when they walk out of the subway station. Her backpack is set on her back. Peter smiles gratefully, knowing she feels safe enough with him to put it there. She hands Peter his blueberry muffin and takes out the apple-cinnamon one for herself.  
"Bon appétit!" She smiles as they put their muffins together like they're glasses of champagne. She takes a small bite, trying to cherish as much of it as possible. Peter nearly devours his muffin.  
"Where did you get these?" He asks with his mouth still half full.  
"The Blackbird Bakery near the ballet school! They've got the best stuff." She doesn't look up from her muffin, trying to push out the suggestive advice Emma had given her.  
"I can tell!" Peter says with a smile. 

His shoulders droop as Peter and Daphne are nearing her apartment. Why is this walk always so short?  
"Their raspberry cheesecake is my favorite." She lets out a satisfied moan at the thought of the treat. "If I didn't have to watch my weight for ballet, I'd eat that for breakfast, lunch _and_ dinner." Peter finishes his muffin and laughs.  
"Wouldn't you get sick of it?" Daphne walks sideways, so she can properly look at Peter.  
"Never!" They pause for a second when they reach her building. "You have no idea how tempted I was to get a whole cake today." She skips up the stairs. "Single slices are for weaklings!" She stuffs the rest of the muffin in her mouth and walks to the door. 

Daphne searches her bag for her keys and Peter's expression softens.  
"How are you?"  
"Hm?" Her focus is still on the contents of her backpack. He makes her stop in her tracks by grabbing her hand.  
"After last weekend?" He asks. "How are you?" She blinks a few times at Peter before responding softly.  
"I guess I'm alright?"  
"That doesn't sound convincing," he says with a frown.  
"I don't know," she sighs, lowering the bag. "It's just... It feels like everything's back to normal to the point where whatever happened this weekend might as well not have happened. Does that make sense?" She frowns. "No media coverage either, so like, was it even real?"  
"It was." He squeezes her hand. "I'm here if you want to talk, okay?"

Daphne drops her bag to the ground and pulls Peter into a tight hug. He's surprised, but hugs her back, making sure not to touch her lower back where her scar is. She presses her forehead to his chest.  
"Sounds like you're the one who needs to talk about it," she states. He almost desperately holds onto her. His voice is a little shaky.  
"I thought I lost you," he whispers, hiding his face in her hair and smelling her pomegranate shampoo.

"I'm right here, Pete." Her voice sounds slightly muffled in his chest. "I'm not going anywhere." She softly pushes herself away from Peter to look him in the eyes. "It's gonna take a lot more than a cheeky god with an agenda to keep me away from you." She smiles sincerely, not breaking eye contact. He releases his breath. Her warmth and her kindness fill his whole body with a calm he rarely feels. Like he's at home. He believes her. She's not going anywhere. Her eyes flutter and he stares at her slightly parted lips. Should he...

Peter's phone interrupts their moment. It's quite a funny ringtone and she snorts as she takes a step away from him. Peter reluctantly lets go of her.  
"That's Mr. Stark," he groans. He grabs his phone and sighs.  
"I'm gonna go inside," Daphne says as she points at the door. She picks up her bag and swiftly opens the door with her key. She glances back one more time. Peter looks at her like a lost puppy. She laughs softly at how the ringtone is still going, which means Peter has yet to pick up the phone.  
"Thanks for the muffin," Peter says as he smiles. She chuckles and looks at her feet.  
"Night, Pete."  
"Night, Daph..." When she closes the door, he groans and finally picks up the phone. "Mr. Stark?"

"Why didn't you pick up sooner, kid?"  
"I was busy!"  
"Aren't we all." Peter decides to ignore Tony's snarky remark.  
"What's up?"  
"Drug bust, down town. The cops requested help. Figured this might be some good work experience for you." Peter immediately rushes to the nearest alleyway.  
"Thanks, Mr. Stark. You can send me the location; I'll be right there!"  
"Good luck, kid." Tony hangs up and Peter shoves his phone in his backpack. He cuts the corner into the alley, trying to get the image of Daphne so close to him out of his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! <3


	26. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David says hurtful things to Peter. Tony keeps him company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANGST WARNING!
> 
> This one's also a little shorter, whoops. It used to be one big chapter but I decided to cut it in two to keep the angst and the fluff separated!

When Peter reaches into his bag to grab his Spider-Man suit he suddenly feels the exclamation marks again. They yell at him in his head. _Behind you!_ He turns quickly, dropping his backpack and only barely dodging a fist coming his way.  
"Woah!" He doesn't get much time to respond to the next fist aiming for his head, but he catches it quickly and easily. He then recognizes his attacker. "David?!" He pushes David away from him with little effort.  
"The fuck do you think you're doing?!"  
"What are you talking about? You're the one stalking Daphne," Peter accuses.  
"Bullshit, you are the one stalking her."  
"I'm not sure if you are familiar with the definition of stalking," Peter jokes. Why does he always joke when he's in situations like this?  
"She's _my_ girlfriend, you need to back off!" David shouts.

Peter takes a step forward.  
"She's afraid of you!"  
"Then why did she kiss me?" David takes a step forward too. He's taller than Peter and puffs his chest, trying to be intimidating. Peter's fought greater foes; he won't go down without a fight. "I haven't seen her kiss you yet?"  
"This isn't about who she kisses, it's about what she feels." Peter has to look up to lock eyes with David. "The guy she was with said he'd kill you if you didn't leave. You took advantage of that! She did not do it out of love!" Peter realizes he quoted Loki.  
"Oh, and you love her then?"  
"Well, I-"  
"You don't love her like I do!" David interrupts Peter with a snarl. Peter takes a step back from the force David used in his voice. He is an opera singer, all right.

"I think it's time you leave her alone, David."  
"Or what, you'll tell your parents?" Peter freezes. It feels like an arrow just forced its way through his chest. "Oh, did I strike a nerve there?" David squints as he leans in even further with a wicked smile. He's all the way up in Peter's face. Peter tightens his jaw and has to do everything he can not to throw David in the trash can behind him.  
"Leave. Her. Alone."  
"Or what?" David whispers. Seethes. "Orphan."

Anger. That's the only word shooting through Peter's head right now. It's all he can think of. David doesn't realize how easy it would be for Peter to just rip off his head. Peter's vision goes white for a second. He closes his eyes and breathes. He shouldn't think like this. It's toxic. David is obviously delusional. And he's definitely provoking Peter on purpose.  
"Go away." He says slowly. He turns around and grabs his bag from the ground.   
"Don't think so." Peter walks to the exit of the alleyway. Frustratingly enough, David follows right behind him. After five minutes of David following him up close, Peter's fed up. He grabs his phone from his pocket and calls the number he has on speed dial.

"Pete, why aren't you suited up yet?" he immediately hears from the other side of the line.  
"I would love to come over, Mr. Stark." He turns around to David, whose eyes grow wide. "But I'm being followed by-"  
"Stop talking, I'll go!" David shouts. He turns around and runs away. It's quiet for a second.  
"Thanks for picking up," Peter says softly.  
"Was that David?"  
"Yeah."  
"Well, shit, if he's bothering you now as well then I really need to figure out this fraud situation."

"He genuinely thinks he and Daphne are in a relationship based on the kiss they had Saturday." Peter had informed Tony about the whole 'saving David's life' situation to avoid things becoming awkward.  
"Sounds like he needs a psychiatrist."  
"Mr. Stark, he just tried to punch me in the face for spending time with her and he-" Peter cuts himself off. The lump in his throat is thick and tears prickle in his eyes. Somehow David had figured out his parental situation and the whole thing made Peter feel an emptiness that he hasn't felt in a long, long time.  
"Kid, you okay?" Peter holds his face with his free hand. The tears start streaming down his face and he sniffs.  
"Mr. Stark, I'm not sure if I can do that drug bust tonight." His voice breaks as he talks.  
"Peter?" Tony sounds worried.  
"I think I want to be alone for a bit," Peter whimpers. "I'm sorry." He hangs up on Tony and starts running.

...

It didn't take Tony long to find Peter. He somehow guessed where he would find the kid. Peter always went there when he's exceptionally sad. Tony stares at Peter from a distance. It's cold. But Tony assumes Peter probably feels colder on the inside. He sits on the soft grass in front of his parents' graves, staring at the letters engraved in them until they lose all meaning. The wind blows softly. It tousles his hair. Tony can see he cried. His cheeks are puffed and his eyes are red. There is no expression on is face. Like he's numb.

Peter didn't acknowledge him when Tony went to sit down on the ground next to him. But he would be lying if he said he wasn't grateful for the company of his mentor. Tony knows exactly what Peter's going through, but to Tony that's the worst part. That Peter had gone through all this. Losing his parents and then his uncle too. Tony hates himself for exposing Peter to all kinds of traumatic experiences. But he knows that Peter would've become Spider-Man regardless of whether or not Tony was in his life. The best Tony could do was be there for him and guide him to adulthood. And through all of this superhuman stuff.

Tony studies the gravestone and notices the fresh flowers in front of it. He makes a mental note to visit his own parents' grave after this. He hasn't been there in a while. Life catches up to him. There's just too much going on. He needs to start making time for this. He doesn't even glance at Peter. They just sit there, side by side, looking ahead, not saying a word. The cold October air tickles their skin. Time passes by slowly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give Peter Parker a blanket and a hot chocolate milk, plz.


	27. All About The Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter finally gets to bed, Ned tells Peter to sleep more and Spider-Man has a revealing conversation with Daphne.

May jolts awake when she feels the bed dipping next to her. She squints, not being able to see well without her glasses. The alarm on her nightstand tells her it's four AM. She reaches forward and relaxes her muscles when she notices it's Peter.  
"Can I sleep here tonight?" His voice is soft and May shoots him a worried look. He hasn't slept in her bed since he was twelve. Something must be up. He hasn't undressed, but May was expecting him to be in his Spidey suit. He only comes home this late when he's Spider-Man. Instead she sees the silhouette of his flannel shirt.

They lie face to face. He breathes deeply as he eases himself into the soft mattress and he hides his mouth and nose under the covers.  
"Of course, Pete." She squeezes his arm and presses her lips into an encouraging smile. "Do you want to talk?" His eyes peek out from under the blanket and he slowly shakes his head. He frowns.  
"I don't know..."  
"You can always talk to me if you want to, but you never have to if you don't want to. You know that, right?" He nods and sniffs. They just stare at each other in silence for a little bit.

"I don't want anything to ever happen to you," Peter whispers. May mentally needs to take a step back, still only barely awake.  
"How do you mean?"  
"I can't lose you too." His voice cracks. She studies the lines of his frowning face, knowing exactly what he's talking about. They didn't really discuss any of this kind of stuff. Peter is and has always been quite in tune with his emotions, and they talked a lot about Ben. His parents are something he rarely mentioned.

"Oh, Pete." May pulls him into a hug. He holds her tight. Maybe a little too tight. It's times like this where he forgets how strong he actually is. May doesn't say a thing, though. He needs this now. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."  
"Mm-" Daphne had said something similar earlier that night. It makes him shudder. "I'm so sorry for making you worry so much." His voice sounds muffled with his face hidden against her body and under the blankets.  
"It's okay, it's okay," she shushes him and pets his hair softly. He relaxes again under her touch and closes his eyes.  
"I love you, May," he whispers.  
"And I love you, Peter." His breathing becomes steady as he finally drifts off to sleep.

...

"Yo, Pete!" Ned rushes through the hallway but is stopped in his tracks when Peter appears from behind his locker door as he closes it. Ned raises his eyebrows. "Dang, man, did you get _any_ sleep last night?"  
"Not really..." Peter pushes his hand through his hair. "Last night was just rough, I guess." He doesn't really want to discuss it right now.  
"I'm sorry, man."  
"I'll survive," Peter shrugs and sighs, and he turns to go to class. Ned walks next to him.  
"You always do," Ned laughs. "Just make sure you go to bed early tonight."  
"I'll try, Ned." Ned turns his face to Peter and he raises his eyebrows again. He distorts his voice into the Yoda impression that never fails to make Peter smile.  
"Do or do not, young Padawan."

...

"Do not," Spider-Man whispers to himself as he swings through the streets of New York. It's already dark and the street lights illuminate his path. "Sorry, Ned." When Peter reaches his destination, he cracks his back and yawns. He sticks against the brick wall and stares into Daphne's room. She's on the floor, stretching, in her pajamas. Peter's in awe at how insanely flexible she is. He shakes his head and pushes himself off the wall, jumping towards the fire escape of Daphne's building. He lands quietly and gracefully, and finds his way to her window.

She hasn't spotted him yet. She's pushing her face towards the floor as her legs are in a butterfly position. Her back is completely straight and her lower arms are completely flat on the floor. He stares at the part of her scar that peeks out from under her top. He softly knocks on her window and she shoots upright, staring at the hero at the other side of her window.  
"What the fuck," he sees her whisper to herself. He chuckles and nods his head as if to say _what's up_. She stands up swiftly and opens her window. "Spider-Man?"

"The one and only." He smiles, forgetting she can't actually see it. She shivers and holds onto herself.  
"Do you wanna get inside? It's cold out."  
"Only if you want me to." She takes a step back to give him space to climb through.  
"I'd ask you to take off your shoes, but I'm guessing you can't without going completely naked," she jokes. He laughs and gratefully makes his way in. She closes the window behind him.

Peter's never been in her room before, but it's exactly what he expected it to be. A dark, wooden floor, soft colors everywhere, and white furniture. She has one wall completely covered in used, dead pointe shoes, hanging from their ribbons. She has a tall mirror leaning against another wall. Her dresser is covered in hair donuts, nets and pins, with multiple bottles of hairspray in the corner. Her queen bed has blue covers and a large, white fuzzy blanket on top. Her desk is tucked in the corner of the room. It's covered with books, notepads and stationery. A few canvases lean against the desk legs. Peter assumes they are projects she had to do for school. She has impressionistic paintings of ballerinas on her other walls. What was the ballet painter called again? Degas? He grins at how absolutely stereotypical her room is.

"Why are you here?" Spider-Man freezes up at the question. He completely forgot to come up with an excuse.  
"I, uh..." He turns to the window and back to Daphne as his Spider-Eyes grow wide. "I swung by and recognized you from before. Was wondering how you're doing?" She chuckles at her feet. She's wearing soft pink fuzzy socks.  
"Did Mr. Stark ask you to check up on me?" Spider-Man takes a step back and brings up his hands defensively.  
"I-"  
"You can tell him I'm fine," she sighs and drops herself backwards onto her bed, into the fuzzy blanket.

"You sure?" He walks towards her and angles his head in a questioning manner. "From what I heard it sounded pretty intense."  
"Oh, it was." She waves it away. "But that's what therapists are for, I guess."  
"Don't you talk about it with your friends?" he tries. She laughs.  
"And bother them with even more crap? Nah, I'm good." She sits upright so she can look at him properly.  
"I'm sure they'll listen to you." He sits down on the floor and crosses his legs. "That's what friends are for, right?" She shrugs.  
"I mean, I guess." She then frowns. "It's just... So weird. I've gone through something that would be considered traumatic, but I don't feel... Traumatized?" Spider-Man cocks his head. "It just feels like a normal memory. Like I'd remember a regular school day." She bites her lip. "Is that bad?"

"Trauma is different for everyone," Spider-Man says, he looks up; thinking about the situation. He chews on the inside of his cheek. "I started getting panic attacks after I-" he interrupts himself and looks away. Spider-Man wouldn't just tell anyone his origin story. Daphne shouldn't be any different.  
"I'm sorry," she says softly.  
"Don't be, it's not your fault." He rolls his shoulders and breathes. "Just keep an eye on yourself." He looks up at her. "You don't want your trauma to catch up on you."

Daphne stares at Spider-Man, once again completely frustrated that she can't see his face. She realizes she'd figured out he's her age last time they met, which means he's way too young to already have severe PTSD from all the shit he's been through. But he probably does have it. People pointing guns at him- heck, shooting at him, or dropping from great heights without web fluid, that kind of stuff. She wonders how many near-death experiences he has gone through. "And the stalker?" he asks suddenly.  
"Still stalking. Don't want to talk about it," she says simply. Spider-Man sighs audibly.  
"Alright, then." It's quiet for a bit before he gets to his feet in one swift movement. "I should probably get going now," he says as he looks at the window. She tries to get up from the bed to help him out by opening the window, but her foot gets stuck in the fuzzy blanket and she trips. Before she reaches the floor, she's caught.

"Clumsy?" he jokes as he helps her stand upright. She can hear him smile through his words. "I got you." Her brain short circuits for a second. It's trying to make a connection it can't seem to figure out. Why does it sound so familiar when he says that? Her eyes flutter and she looks up at his mask. Who's under there?  
"Thanks," she mutters awkwardly. He lets go of her and she shuffles to the window, opening it quickly. She moves to the side so Spider-Man can climb out. "And thanks for checking up on me."  
"Anytime." He jumps out the window and turns to lean back in. "Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. I'm sure you're strong enough to take on anything life throws at you." She chuckles defeated.  
"It's really not that easy, Spidey."

"Then explain it to me. Let me help," Spider-Man begs. She pinches the bridge of her nose. The cold October air cuts her skin and goose bumps cover her body.  
"Can't exactly stop a stalker if the school threatens to take away my funding if I expose him."  
"What?"  
"I already said too much, you really need to go." She tries to close the window, but Spider-Man is stronger, holding it open with just one hand. He leans in further, his white lenses squeezing shut until they're just slits.  
"That's Tony Stark's money. That's for you. Not the school."  
"The school takes all my money. If I need to pay for anything with Stark's money, I have to fill in an application for it and give it to the school."  
"That means that if you don't spend all your scholarship money, they get to keep it?"  
"Yep."  
"That's... That's not how the Stark Scholarship works."

"They kick out the students who keep the money for themselves." Spider-Man stares at her. Judging from how the fabric that's covering his face stretches, she guesses he has his mouth opened in disbelief. "My stalker earns the school more money than I do. If he gets kicked off the list, they lose a major income. They'd rather have me gone than him."  
"It's a private school!" Spider-Man exclaims. "They are definitely not short on money."  
"I know, but if I go to another school, I'll lose the scholarship. And I can't afford my ballet classes without the scholarship. I'm stuck." She turns away from Spider-Man and bites her lip.

She suddenly realizes she's said pretty much everything she wasn't supposed to and twists back to the hero.  
"Please, don't tell Mr. Stark, I don't want to bother him any more than I already have." Spider-Man places his hands on her shoulders.  
"Don't worry, I'm gonna fix this for you," he says determined. He lets go of her before she can object and thwips away.  
"No-wait!" She shouts, but he's already cut the corner and out of sight, leaving her alone at her opened window. "Spider-Man!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one chapter today! Sorry! I hope you like it! <3


	28. Poetry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne's and Peter's last ballet training session before the pas de deux classes start. Daphne makes a decision that will change everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING! Under the -------- there are mentions of rape, stalker behaviour, kidnapping, blood and spit. Please be careful if you are sensitive to these kinds of things!  
DISCLAIMER: I have nothing against kinks (heck, I consider myself a kinky boi). The thing that makes David's behaviour disgusting in this context is obviously the fact that he's not in his right mind and unhealthily obsessed with her. Not to mention everything he does to her is noncon.

"You did really well today!" Daphne smiles at an exhausted Peter. He's panting and sitting with his back against the mirrored wall. They're both drenched in sweat. They've been dancing for four and half hours to get Peter up to speed with the last things he needs to know. The pas de deux classes start next week.

Daphne admits to herself that they may have overdone it today. She hands him his bottle of water.  
"Drink up, you're losing a lot of water. And make sure to stuff your face with chips when you get home." She nods once. "Y'know, for the salt."  
"Thanks," Peter says as he gratefully takes the bottle and downs most of it in one go. He noticed Daphne was awfully distracted today. She did what she needed to do, but she was lost in thought a lot. And he doesn't think it was about the choreographies she prepped to practice.

"Do you think I'm ready?"  
"About as ready as you can be with the limited training you've had so far." She rubs her chin and takes a sip of her own bottle. "Thanks for doing this for me, Pete."  
"Anything for you," he says before he thinks. He turns his head away and hopes the redness flushing into his face can be excused through the tough exercises they did. She chuckles, but doesn't reply. When he looks back, he sees she's lost in thought again. "Are you okay?" She turns her face to look at him, slightly surprised by his question.  
"Yeah?" The fact that she says it with a question mark makes it sound unbelievable, even to her. She bites the inside of her cheek. "I mean..."  
"You can talk to me."  
"I know, I know." She sits down next to him with her legs crossed.

"Spider-Man showed up at my window yesterday," she says suddenly. Peter perks up, trying be inconspicuous.  
"Oh?"  
"I think Mr. Stark asked him to check up on me," she scoffs.  
"Why do you say it like that?"  
"I don't get why Mr. Stark asked him. Or why Spider-Man even thought I was worth his time. They've got better things to do. I'm not that important. I'm only bothering everyone constan-" He stops her by putting a hand on her shoulder. He clenches his jaw and looks at her intensely.  
"Shut up." She stares at him, doe-eyed.  
"What?"  
"Just shut up." He gets up. His hands have turned into fists and he sighs loudly. "You need to realize that you are not bothering anyone the way you think you are." Her mouth is half open and her jaw twitches. Peter looks down at her and breathes. "Alright, maybe that came out wrong."  
"Maybe," she whispers.

Peter aggressively puts his water bottle on the table in the corner and turns back to her while cocking his head.  
"You need to start talking to me," he begs. "About things that bother _you_. Regardless of whether or not they bother me." Her shoulders droop.  
"I don't want to-"  
"Don't you dare say it," he threatens, holding his hand out to her accusingly. "The only way you're bothering me is by not telling me what's bothering you." He pushes his hand through his hair. "You need to realize that David is no longer just your problem." She frowns at Peter. So, he continues. "He knows me. He follows me too, you know that?"  
"What?!" She nearly jumps to her feet. "When was this? What did he do?!"  
"He attacked me on Tuesday." He steps away from her when she tries to touch his arm. "And he said..." His face contorts and he looks away. The lump in his throat returns and he has to do everything he can not to burst into tears right then and there. "He called me _orphan_." He pushes out the last word, but his voice cracks. She stares at him wide-eyed. After a second her look turns dark and her jaw clenches.  
"He did _what?!_" She's seething. Hurting her? Sure. Hurting Peter?

_Hell. Fucking. No._

"I'm okay now, Daphne, don't worry about me," he tries. "I'm just so tired of you not talking to me." She stares at him, trying to control her breathing. Her lips are pressed on top of each other. She's never felt like this before. This isn't just anger anymore. This is rage. _Hatred._ She rushes to grab her stuff and throws on her boots. All Peter can do is look at her.  
"I'm gonna talk to you about everything, but there's something I must do first." She aims for the door, but Peter stops her by harshly grabbing her arm. She turns her head to him and wants to yell at him, but the look on his face stops her in her tracks. It's dark. Determined.  
"Whatever you're feeling right now..." He says the words slowly and carefully. His eyes are locked with hers. She doesn't dare to look away. "Don't act on it. Don't do anything you will regret."  
"Don't worry," she whispers, matching her determination with his. "I should have done this a _long_ time ago."

...

"Daphne is at the entrance," F.R.I.D.A.Y. states. Tony looks up from his work, slightly confused. F.R.I.D.A.Y. doesn't wait for Tony's reply and continues: "The guard is wondering if he should let her in."  
"Tell him to let her through."  
"Done." Tony didn't expect any guests, especially not at this hour, so he's in sweatpants and a tank top. Speaking of sweat, he's coated in it too. He's been trying to fix his fabric printer so he can make Peter a leotard that'll help him with the overstimulated neuron issue during the pas de deux classes. He's covered in oil swipes and grease. His hair is a mess too. Bottom line is that he's not exactly dressed for company and it irks him. He prefers to at least be somewhat presentable when there are other people around.

Tony sighs as he puts down the soldering apparatus. Peter's seen him like this more often than Tony would like, but if Daphne really is this important to Peter, Tony shouldn't be surprised if Daphne would see him like that more often as well. He cracks his back and neck and waits for the elevator to arrive. When it does, he's met with something he didn't really expect.

She stomps in. It looks like she's still in her ballet wear under her coat and boots. She's clutching her backpack against her chest. She's angry. Seething. It looks like she's cried. Tony has a déjà vu. It's exactly like when Peter barged in a little while back and ordered Tony to show him the list of scholarship students. She breathes rapidly and walks towards a desk. She aggressively wipes everything that's on there on the floor. Nothing fragile, luckily.

"Hey! Hey, easy there!" He walks towards her with his hands up, offended at her behavior in _his_ house. She turns her head and her eyes seem to shoot lightning at him. It makes him stop where he stands. She doesn't break eye contact as she opens her backpack and forcefully shakes its contents onto the desk. Paper. Tons and tons of paper. She opens a zipper, takes out a hard drive and places it on top of the paper stack.  
"Here," is all she says.  
"What is all this?" Tony cocks his head and raises his eyebrows at her.  
"Proof." She throws her empty backpack on the floor and turns back to the elevator.  
"Woah, where do you think you're going?" She doesn't reply and hits the button to call on the elevator again. "Daphne!" He rushes after her. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., lock down this floor." The light at the elevator turns off and Daphne groans loudly.

"Let me go," she orders. Tony grabs her shoulder and forcefully turns her around to look at him.  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She clenches her jaw.  
"I don't want to be involved in whatever you're going to do."  
"Kid, how am I supposed to know what you're talking about?!" She stares at him, wide eyed.  
"You mean he didn't tell you?"  
"Tell me what?!"

"Hi, Mr. Stark!" Both Daphne's and Tony's heads shoot to the window, where Spider-Man is climbing through. When he spots Daphne, he loses his balance and yelps as he falls in.  
"Look who's clumsy now," Daphne scoffs. Spider-Man scrambles to his feet.  
"Ha-ha, very funny." He pats his suit and makes his way to Tony and Daphne. "What's going on here?"  
"That." Tony points at the desk Daphne just filled with his head. "She says it's proof."  
"Proof of wha-" Spider-Man doesn't finish his sentence and thinks for a second. "David?" Daphne looks at her feet.  
"And the whole money situation," she mutters. "I thought you'd already told him." Daphne looks back up at Tony, who looks at her confused. "I explained everything to Spider-Man yesterday when you asked him to check up on me."

Tony looks at Spider-Man with wide eyes, catching on to the fact that Peter used Tony as an excuse to talk to her as Spider-Man.  
"Oh, did you now?"  
"You asked me not to tell him, so I didn't," Spider-Man sighs apologetically.  
"When you left it seemed like you were going to!" She turns to Spider-Man now. "I wasn't going to do anything, until..." She frowns.  
"Until what, kid?" Tony purses his lips. She looks down at her feet again. Tears well up in her eyes and she holds back a sob.  
"David..." she whispers. "He hurt Peter." Tony and Spider-Man glance at each other and Tony angles his head up as he presses his lips on top of each other.

This night was going a whole lot different than Tony had expected it to. He has to admit he's slightly amused at the group set up. The richest man in the world, Tony Stark, covered in sweat, grease and oil, wearing sweat pants and a tank top. A ballerina wearing a thick winter coat with a scarf and just her thin, white tights-covered legs sticking out from underneath, hiding her feet in high boots. And the arachnid hero: your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Tony looks back down at Daphne.  
"He told me," he states simply. She looks up at him.

"I'm used to it, you know? Having a pair of eyes on me all the fucking time." The tears are now streaming down her face as she forces the words out of her throat. "I'm okay with him hurting me as long as it's just me." She turns to look at Spider-Man. Her expression is determined, yet broken. "He crossed the line. I can't have him hurt someone I care about." Spider-Man's breath hitches in his throat. It's like she's looking straight at Peter, through the mask. Tears prickle in the corners of his own eyes and the lump in his throat keeps him from replying. She turns back to Tony and gestures at the desk. "So, I brought proof." She walks to the desk and Tony and Spider-Man quietly follow her. "All of it."

...

"What is all of this stuff?" Tony asks. Daphne picks up the hard drive and holds it in front of her. "All the emails the school forced me to delete. I had them backed up just in case."  
"Emails?" Spider-Man clears his throat before he says that.  
"My official complaints about David's behavior towards me. They sat me down in front of a computer at school and made me delete all of it while they watched."  
"Jesus Christ," Tony exclaims softly. "And the papers?"  
"Poetry."  
"Poetry?" Tony picks up one of the pages and reads it. Disgust washes over him. "What the-" He grabs a few more from the table and reads them, barely believing the words on the paper. 

_______

Spider-Man picks up a poem that's in a plastic zip bag.  
"Why is this one... packaged?"  
"He covered it in... Well, uh..." She frowns. "His load." Spider-Man jolts and lets go of it immediately. It gently glides back onto the pile. "There's another one with his blood." She sucks at her teeth. "And spit."  
"This guy is insane," Tony mutters. He looks up worried, staring at Daphne in disbelief. "I've read a lot of kinky fan mail in my time, but this is absolutely horrid." Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and nods slowly. "This one is about cutting you up into a million pieces and then eat you?!" Tony lets go of it and holds up the next one he's read. "He wants to tie you up in his basement and wha- what does this say?" Tony pauses to re-read the sentence and collect his thoughts. "_Breed_ you?!"  
"That's... Actually one of the milder ones he's written." Tony's frozen in place, his eyebrows went as far up as they possible can and he just stares at her. "He, uh... He wants it all to be non-consensual." Spider-Man is silent, staring blankly ahead. He's pretty sure he's not even breathing anymore.

"So, you are telling me..." Tony talks slowly, carefully picking every word he's saying. "That the guy who has been threatening to literally rape you..." He slowly puts down the last poem he picked up on the table. "...And has been stalking you for months..." He cocks his head slowly, taking a deep breath. "...Is being protected by your school..." Daphne looks at the floor in front of her. "...So that I keep paying them money?" It's dead silent in the lab. All Daphne can hear is her own heartbeat, fast and loud between her ears. She replies quietly.  
"Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickennnns! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! It's a bit longer than what I usually write.


	29. A-R-T

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony Stark is known for working throughout the night, but Daphne sure as hell didn't expect everything to be set in motion so soon!

Daphne wants to throw her alarm out the window. She stayed out at Avengers Tower until two o'clock last night, explaining everything to Tony and Spider-Man. She shifts under her blankets, groaning as she reaches for her phone. She frowns when she sees "99+ notifications". She turns on her sound.  
"The hell?" she whispers as she sits upright and turns on her bed light. She unlocks her phone and browses through. It's the group chat of her class. Apparently, they had all received an e-mail from none other than Tony Stark and they are freaking out.

_Caleb:_ _  
Justice! Finally!_

_Tyrone:_ _  
Can you believe it??? The school's actually committing fraud, jfc._

_Sarah:_ _  
Aight, y'all, who snitched??"_

Daphne stops reading after that. She knows how good her classmates are at gossiping and she also knows they're not afraid to gossip while the person they're gossiping about is also in the chat. She'd rather not be confronted like that. She opens the e-mail that caused the panic among her classmates and reads it carefully.

Tony Stark is suing the school. Bottom line is that the school is screwed. They were never supposed to take the money of all the students and keep it for themselves. It's a massive breach of contract and there is absolutely no way Tony could lose this case. He urges all the students to contact his financial department so he can get the right info in order to pay the money directly to the students. He's also looking for another school to work with for the art scholarship. He ends the email by asking them to keep this out of the media for the privacy of all the students.

Daphne presses her lips on top of each other. This is happening. This is _actually_ happening.  
"Daphne!" Her father storms into the room. "Have you seen the e-mail?!"  
"You got it too?"  
"Yeah! Is this why you rushed out so late yesterday?" He cocks his head. "Did you go see Tony Stark?" Daphne nods. Derek walks up to her and sits himself down on her bed. He reaches in for a hug and she hugs him back. "You have no idea how proud I am of you for finally standing up like this," he says softly. His voice cracks. She holds him tighter, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. His stubble scratches her skin.

They've been together in this for so long. Her father wanted her to step to the higher-ups of the school, but when she did, she was told she'd lose her funding if she exposed David. In order to keep providing for her and her father, she needs the money. He makes a reasonable amount as a researcher at the New York Zoo, but it's not enough to comfortably live in a two-bedroom apartment in New York. He couldn't stand that she kept endangering herself for their sake, but she insisted he'd stay quiet about it. She wanted to do this for them. To be able to stay. She can feel his father's tears fall on her neck. "So proud," he whispers.

"Thanks, dad," she mutters as she tightens her grip on him. Their hug gets interrupted by her phone. A number pops up on her screen. She recognizes it from somewhere, but doesn't know who it is. She lets go of her father and shoots him a confused glance. She picks up. "Hello?"  
"Hey, kid." Her eyes grow wide.  
"Mr. Stark?"  
"Who else?" He scoffs. "Thought you had my number already?"  
"I didn't, actually."  
"Huh, must've forgotten to give it to you-anyways," he interrupts himself. "Check your e-mail in give or take ten seconds."  
"What?"  
"Just do it, kid." She can hear him grin through the phone. "Took some work, had to pull some strings, but it's all set. You're welcome."

He hangs up on her before she can reply. She looks at her phone as a new notification pops up. An e-mail, just like Tony said. She frowns as she opens it. It looks like there's an official document attached. She opens it and it takes a little while to load, making her muscles tense in anticipation. She breathes slowly. When it opens, time seems to stop. A lump forms in her throat and her breath gets caught in her lungs. She reads the first line over and over and over and over. The words become unclear as her tears cloud her sight.  
"Daph?" Her father puts his hand on her knee. "What is it?" She looks at her dad as the first tear frees itself from her eye and runs down her cheek.  
"It's..." her voice breaks and she puts on a crooked smile through her tears. "It's a restraining order for David."

...

Daphne feels incredibly awkward walking through the school halls. Everyone's staring at her. _They know._ She takes a deep breath as she walks to her class, trying to ignore the whispers. _They all know._  
"Daphne." She turns to the teacher calling her name and gulps when she sees it's the principal.  
"Sir?"  
"My office. Now." Daphne swallows slowly. Everybody's watching her. She normally doesn't mind attention in the slightest. She loves being on stage, knowing all eyes are on her. This is different, though. She doesn't like this kind of attention. She's not dancing now. She's vulnerable. She takes quick strides to follow the principal to his office.

...

Mr. O'Sullivan is already in his chair. Daphne carefully closes the door behind her, knowing that pretty much everyone in that hallway is going to try and listen in on them. She fiddles with her fingers and licks her lips as she looks down.  
"You wanted to see me, sir?" He glares at her.  
"Care to explain what happened, miss Birch?" He tilts his chin up a little. "Sit," he orders. She shuffles to the chair and lowers herself to the edge of it, not allowing herself to get comfortable.  
"I don't understand what you mean, sir," she lies with confidence. He clenches his jaw.  
"I got called out of my bed at three o'clock in the morning by _Tony Stark_ to accuse me of committing _fraud_."  
"Well?" She cocks her head. "Did you commit fraud?" She doesn't care about the consequences anymore. This man deserves no respect.

"You're not here to ask questions," he sneers. _He didn't say no._ "Someone has spotted you entering the Avengers Tower. Multiple times now." He leans forward on his desk, trying to be intimidating. It's not working, though. Daphne's spent time with the god of mischief. A scruffy, pathetic man like Mr. O'Sullivan couldn't make her scared. Not anymore.  
"Someone?" Daphne scoffs. "You mean my stalker." She crosses her legs. "Who, now, apparently also is a snitch."  
"What were you doing at Avengers Tower, Daphne?" He's starting to get frustrated at her lack of care.  
"I hang out with Stark's intern." An innocent smile appears on her face. She can see his hands tense up and she feels triumphant somehow. "He invited me to the lab a few times."  
"So, you met Tony Stark?"  
"That's none of your business, to be honest."  
"So, you did."  
"And why do you care?" She raises her eyebrows.

He aggressively slams his fist on the desk and stands up, leaning over it. She jolts at his sudden reaction. His chair is pushed back with such force that it tips over and clatters on the ground.  
"You're ruining me!" She just looks up at him, not moving an inch. Her face is neutral.  
"No, sir," she says calmly. "You ruined yourself." His jaw twitches and he closes his eyes. His knuckles turn white.  
"Out." He forces the word through his gritting teeth. She quickly gets to her feet and turns to the door. Before she can twist the handle, he opens his eyes again. "Clear out your locker." She stops in her tracks and turns back to him with her mouth half opened. Her heart beats faster now.  
"Excuse me?" She stutters.  
"You are expelled," he seethes. "Permanently."

...

If her walk to the principal's office wasn't a walk of shame, then the one back to her locker was definitely going to be just that. Or at least that's what Daphne thought. The moment she opened the door there was a group of students outside waiting for her. All her classmates were there, except for David. There were more of them than she'd expected. She walks into the hallway and sees it's completely crowded. They're all staring at her. She breathes and shuts the principal's office door behind her.

"And?" Sarah asks. "What did he say?" Daphne scoffs softly and looks down. She starts walking to her locker without replying. The wave of people follows her in silence, but it doesn't feel awkward. It's like they're supporting her somehow. Almost carrying her through the hallways. When she gets to her locker, she puts her backpack on the floor and unzips it. She unlocks her locker and starts emptying it into her bag, confirming what everybody feared. She has to go.

She's stopped by Tyrone, who stepped forward from the group and placed his hand on her shoulder. He smiles kindly at her, but she can see the sadness in his eyes.  
"Thank you," he says simply. "You really took a big one for the team."  
"The biggest one," Sarah butts in. Daphne bites her cheek, but smiles.  
"Things are gonna get better now," she says softly. "For all of you."  
"And for you too," Sarah adds, nodding gently at Daphne.

The bell rings, but nobody moves. They all stay with Daphne as she empties her locker. The teachers call out for the students to move into their classrooms, but they ignore them. Malcolm, one of the best singers of her class, softly starts singing the lyrics to _You Never Walk Alone_ and Dahpne chuckles at the odd and unexpected gesture. Her smile fades from her face when she closes her locker. More and more people join Malcolm until the entire hallway is singing the song from the top of their lungs.

Daphne confidently puts her backpack on her back and tightens the straps. She starts walking to the exit and all the students follow her, still singing the song. She's going to miss this place. And her friends. When she reaches the exit, the song reaches its climax. Daphne can't help but let some tears fall down her cheeks at the solidarity of all the students. Some are filming the experience as they hold their phones above the crowd of students. She turns back to the gigantic group. They finish the song and look at her expectantly. She knows what she has to do now.

Daphne raises one hand up in a fist. Holding her head high, she puts on a bright smile through her tears.  
"A-R-T!" She shouts, starting the cheer chant from the school. The entire group replies out loud, shouting at the top of their lungs and finishing the chant jubilantly.  
"We're the best there'll ever be!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You Never Walk Alone is such a cheesy song, but I figured it was perfect for this moment!


	30. Old Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne encounters an old man who she's met before at the zoo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for updating less than I did before! My college has started again and I'm still getting used to having a regular daily life again. I had my first ballet class of the year again on Wednesday and my calves _still_ hurt so much, omg. I walk like a grandma.

Daphne tightens the straps to her backpack as she walks towards the entrance of the Central Park Zoo. She's been going to the zoo more often lately. Tao, the guard, knows her well enough to let her in without a ticket. He knows her dad works here and knows she has an annual pass anyways. With David often on her trail she thought she could hide from him at the zoo, but it wasn't long before he also got an annual pass. Whenever Tao let her through with David following her, she'd let Tao know and he'd take just a little more time checking David's pass to give Daphne the opportunity to hide at the other side of the park.

Daphne waves at Tao when she approaches him and he smiles at her.  
"Back again?" He opens the gate for her. Daphne nods.  
"Yep, just here to see my dad."  
"Shouldn't you be at school?" He dismissively cocks his head at her.  
"It's a long story, to be honest," Daphne says as she scratches the back of her head.  
"Is that guy with you again?" Tao looks up to see if David's around.  
"He's not, I actually got a restraining order for him!" Daphne feels bad for sounding excited about it, but she's yet to feel David's eyes on her today. She wishes it'll stay like that. She feels free.  
"That's marvelous!" He lets her through the gate and closes it behind her. "I hope he leaves you alone."  
"I hope so too," Daphne scoffs softly. She presses her lips into a smile and walks backwards into the park. "Thanks, Tao!"  
"Anytime, Deedee!" Daphne chuckles at his nickname for her.

She's known Tao since she moved to New York, when her dad made the career change from farm veterinarian to researcher for the New York Zoo. Tao has always been so kind to them and she's grateful to have him in her life. Daphne turns to walk forward again and heads for the snow leopard enclosure with a slight detour. She knows her dad was scheduled to do a fertility check-up on the leopards. His break should be in about an hour, so she has time to wander around the park.

...

Daphne leans on the railing at the grizzly bear enclosure. The fuzzy animals are probably preparing for their hibernation now. They eat a lot to make sure they have enough fat to keep them sustained in their sleep and their hairs stand out, as if they've been blow dried, to keep them warm. She smiles at a bear that's having trouble biting through a pumpkin. Daphne didn't notice the old man stopping to stand next to her.

"They look so soft," he sighs quietly. Daphne looks up at him and then back at the bear. She chuckles.  
"They do," she says. "But I wouldn't recommend petting them."  
"Oh, I will not," the old man laughs. She doesn't really pay much attention to him. The bear struggling with the pumpkin is a lot more interesting. "What is a young lady like you doing here at this hour?" His British accent throws her off, but she doesn't reply to him, too caught up in the bear's antics and not really feeling like telling a tourist the whole story. "Shouldn't you be at school?"  
"School's overrated," she says simply. Maybe if she sounds edgy, he'll leave her alone. Not that she actually minds him. He seems nice and he feels familiar somehow.

"That is a lie." Daphne still doesn't look at the man.  
"And how would you know?" she asks it rhetorically, but she doesn't expect the man to reply the way he did. He leans closer to her with a wide, mischievous smile on his face.  
"Because you cannot lie to me, Daphne." Her head shoots to the old man, who still has a grin from ear to ear. Her eyes go wide and her breath gets stuck in her throat. She pauses, trying to collect her thoughts. He seems amused at her confusion.  
"You?!" She exclaims softly.  
"Me!" The man opens his hands to her. The wrinkled skin around his eyes squeezes into slits as he smiles.

"Loki, what the hell are you doing here?!" She pushes the words through her teeth. She doesn't step away from him, though. They're lucky it's not too busy at the zoo.  
"I am here because I wanted to see you," he states simply, as if he didn't kidnap her a week ago.  
"See me?" She frowns at him. "Why?"  
"It is a long story. Not for today, I'm afraid." He sighs and turns back to the bear. He raises his eyebrows and glances her way. She looks at the bear, who has finally squashed the pumpkin with its jaw. They stand there in silence for a bit.  
"Here to kidnap me again?" she jokes.  
"I am not, actually," is all he says.  
"You sure aged quickly in the past couple days," she remarks with a scoff.  
"It's called a disguise, dear."  
"If you can turn into anything you want, why go with an old man?"  
"Because."  
"How old are you?" Daphne shakes her head at his childish remark.  
"Around 1500 years." She stares at him with her mouth slightly opened before collecting herself.  
"That was meant in a sarcastic way, I didn't actually want to know how old you are."  
"Oh, I know. I enjoy the surprised look on your face," he chuckles. "Besides, I did not give you my exact age."  
"Let's keep it that way."

"How old are you?" His attempt at getting to know her, isn't working really well.  
"Well, I am at least two," she says with a smirk. If he's going to mess with her, then she will mess with him.  
"Really?" He chuckles. The bear is almost done with the pumpkin at this point. Daphne checks the time on her phone.  
"My father's got his break in ten minutes, so I'm gonna go." She lets go of the railing and turns, but stops in her tracks when Loki turns too.  
"Would you mind if I walk with you?" It almost hurts how politely he asked that.  
"Only if you tell me exactly why you're here."  
"I told you, it's a long story."  
"Then keep it short and tell me the rest some other time."

She starts walking towards the leopard enclosure and the old man shuffles quickly to keep up with her pace.  
"Aha!" He exclaims. "So, you do want to see me again?" She stops and looks at him.  
"I didn't say that," she says. "You said that the story was not for today so I assumed you would tell me another time. I don't really think I have a say in whether or not you're in my life at this point." Loki puts his hands up defensively.  
"If you do not want to see me, I will leave you alone, I promise." He sounds sincere. Daphne frowns.  
"Then why are you here now?" Loki lets out an exasperated sigh.  
"It's complicated."  
"Try me." She takes a step towards him and cocks her head defiantly. He looks away, trying to find the words.

"It probably sounds weird, but..." He blinks a few times and takes a deep breath. "When I saved your life, I gave you a piece of myself." He stops talking and Daphne raises her eyebrows.  
"Okay...?" She says, urging him to continue.  
"I never realized I was no longer whole." Daphne's raised eyebrows come together in a frown. That did sound kind of weird. "When I was with you last week, I felt... Better, somehow." He chews on the inside of his cheek and looks intently at her, seeking validation.  
"Better... As in...?" Daphne really hopes he's not being gross right now. She really doesn't need another stalker, now that she's just gotten rid of the first one.  
"I felt complete." Daphne takes a step back, turning her head but not breaking eye contact.

What he says a major red flag, but... She still feels safe with him, somehow. She can't really explain why she understands what he means. It's all very confusing. He takes a step towards her to follow her.  
"And I do not mean this in an odd way, even though it sounds... Highly questionable, to say the least."  
"So, you're here to feel... complete?"  
"No, I am here because I feel protective of you. Like a father would his child." His eyes are soft and sincere. "And I have to admit," he says as he shrugs. "You are good company." She looks at her feet. Grateful that this isn't what she thought it was.

"What if I say I don't want to see you?"  
"Then I will leave and not bother you again."  
"For real?" She looks up.  
"I do not lie to you, Daphne." She knows he doesn't. She takes a deep breath.  
"I don't think anyone wants you to be around me."  
"Including you?" His eyebrows curl up into a worried frown.  
"I don't know." They're both quiet for a bit.

Loki swallows and takes a step back.  
"Alright," he says softly. "I understand."  
"I'm not sure if you do," she states harshly. "You kidnapped me. And then you used me to get your point across to your brother. It doesn't really matter if I make you feel better. You can't just force yourself into my life like this."  
"I know, I know." He pushes his hand through his hair and sighs deeply. "I should not have done any of that." She raises one eyebrow at him. "I acted impulsively."  
"You sure did," she scoffs.  
"I am truly sorry for hurting you." They stare at each other. It's weird how she knows it's Loki, but he doesn't look anything like himself at all. He looks like an old, innocent-looking man. Sounds like one too. "Will you please forgive me?" he begs.

Daphne stares at him for a bit before turning around and walking to the leopards.  
"Maybe one day." A younger looking hand gently grabs her arm and stops her. When she turns around, she's met with Loki. Actual Loki. Not old man Loki. He immediately lets go of her again. His black hair is slicked back and he's wearing what looks like a tailored suit and a fashionable black coat.  
"Let me know when you do." His bright blue eyes pierce through her and his soft voice sounds so much more pleasant than the cracking one he had before.

She looks away for a second, but quickly locks their gazes again. She's afraid she might regret this, but she can always tell him to fuck off. She hates to admit that she's actually kind of curious to learn more about him. She knows he won't harm her and she can probably strike a deal that's beneficial for the Avengers too.  
"You can visit once a month," she says. "Short interactions, no kidnapping or other illegal stuff and you will leave if I want you to." She nods determined before adding: "And you will not harm anyone I care about."  
"Deal," Loki says quickly. The corner of her mouth curls up slightly.  
"Just an FYI, Loki," she says. "I care about everyone on earth."  
"I figured." He grins. "Clever girl."  
"You can take all of your revenge plans straight back to Asgard." She puts up a smug smile.  
"Who said I had any?" He cocks his head playfully.  
"Who said you had none?" He laughs at her reply, but stops when he spots Derek in the distance.

Loki takes a step back and waves shortly with his hand.  
"I think it's better if I leave now." Daphne turns around to where Loki was looking and spots her father. When she turns back to say goodbye to Loki, there's no one there anymore. He's already disappeared. She swallows and wonders if she made the right decision, before she turns to walk to her dad to inform him about her school situation. This whole thing with Loki should probably stay a secret. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to let you all know that I do have a set ending for this story! It's just still a while away and I'm working towards it chapter by chapter! This is not a story that's going nowhere, ahaa. I hope you still enjoy it!
> 
> Oh, and by the way: there's another "I got you" in the next chapter, so that's something to look forward to. ^_^


	31. After School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned and MJ confront Peter about his obvious crush and Peter promises to help Daphne study.

The school bell at Midtown Tech rings acutely. Final period is over and all the students rush to their lockers to get home as fast as they can so they can celebrate the weekend. Peter and Ned still have to clean up after finishing their extra science assignment. They succeeded quicker than the rest of the class with the first one, but instead of letting them go earlier, the teacher decided to give them extra work to keep them occupied. This resulted in them being the last ones in the room. Even the teacher left five minutes ago because he had a meeting with the other teachers from the science department.

"Next time we probably shouldn't turn it into a race," Ned sighs as he cleans the pipette they used.  
"Yeah, probably," Peter groans. He wipes the table with a paper cloth and skillfully tosses it into the bin. "I'm all done," he says as he turns to Ned. "You?"  
"Almost."  
"Hey, nerds." MJ leans against the door frame of the classroom. "Still at it?"  
"The weekend is calling us, MJ, I'm going as fast as I can." Ned feigns desperation in his voice and they all chuckle. It's quiet for a second.

"Yo, Pete." MJ nods. "How are those ballet classes going?" Peter nonchalantly glances her way, trying not to bounce at the mention of ballet. Ballet makes him think of Daphne. Daphne makes him happy. Simple, really.  
"It's alright," he says sheepishly, hoping that's enough for them to change the subject again.  
"The look in your eyes says it's more than alright." MJ grins wide. Ned glances Peter's way as he finishes up washing the last bits.  
"There must be a lot of girls in your class?" There's a mischievous sparkle in Ned's eyes and Peter wants to be swallowed into the ground.  
"There are," he says quickly. He awkwardly picks up his backpack and shoves his books into it. The faster he gets to his locker, the faster he gets away from this conversation.

"Any _cute_ girls?" MJ wiggles her eyebrows and Peter scoffs with a smile.  
"Maybe," he mutters. He can't help but smile lightly when he thinks of Daphne.  
"_Peter Benjamin Parker!_" Ned grins. He knows that look on Peter's face. Ned grabs his own backpack and they all walk into the hallway towards their lockers. "What is she like?"  
"She's kind and funny," Peter says as he looks up at the ceiling. "And pretty..."  
"You are seriously crushing on her," MJ snorts.  
"I'm not!" Peter turns his face to MJ with a frown. His cheeks are red puffs, like two tomatoes, and his ears are warm. Peter's locker is just around the corner. He really wants to get there as fast as possible. He holds onto the straps of his backpack.  
"What's her name?" Ned asks. They cut the corner and Peter abruptly comes to a halt when he sees the principal talking to...  
"Daphne?"

...

Daphne turns her head to where she heard someone call her name.  
"Peter?" He jogs away from the two other people he was walking with. They seem slightly confused. She looks at the principal, who stands next to her father, and back at Peter.  
"What are you doing here?" Peter asks when he reaches them.  
"Eh," Daphne stammers awkwardly. Principal Morita turns to Peter and raises his eyebrows.  
"Mr. Parker, you know her?"  
"Yeah, we- uh..." Peter stops himself. No one at the school knows about his ballet classes. Daphne sassily crosses her arms and cocks her head. "I do. I know her."  
"Ah." The principal nods slowly, sensing he probably shouldn't get into this right now. He clears his throat. "Well, Daphne is here because she has to switch schools." Peter looks at Daphne, confused. She presses her lips on top of each other.  
"What, why?"  
"David," she mutters.  
"Oh." Peter has to remind himself that whatever happened at the Avengers Tower yesterday was something Spider-Man was present at. Not Peter.

"I'm guessing you are aware of the situation?" Principal Morita crosses his arms. "Daphne is applying here as this is the only school in the New York area that's compatible with the Stark Scholarship, which you know everything about." Peter nods quickly, trying to process what the principal is saying.  
"Isn't she an art kid? This is a science and tech school." MJ joins the conversation unannounced. She leans to the side to make eye contact with Daphne. "Hey, by the way," she greets. "MJ." She nods at Daphne. Daphne pushes her hair behind her ear and offers MJ her hand.  
"Daphne," she says with a smile. MJ takes it and awkwardly shakes Daphne's hand.

Daphne turns to Ned and offers her hand to him too. He seems frozen in place and stammers his own name as they shake hands.  
"N-Ned."  
"Nice to meet you both! Peter talks a lot about you."  
"Oh, does he?" MJ cocks her head and glances at Peter. "We haven't heard about you yet." Daphne chuckles.  
"Can- Can we do this later, please?" Peter stutters, urging Ned and MJ away from the little group of people.  
"Sure," Ned says amused. "We'll be prepping a hundred questions, Pete." Ned and MJ walk to their lockers.  
"Sending you the list in the group chat tonight. You better reply; I know where you live!" MJ waves to the ceiling as they cut another corner to where their lockers are.

Peter presses his lips on top of each other. He feels embarrassed, but turns his attention to Daphne. Principal Morita laughs softly. _Teens._  
"To get back on what Miss Jones just said," the principal starts. "Daphne's going to have to get at least an 80% score on three tests. Science, physics and calculus." Daphne takes a deep breath. She was never bad at those subjects, but she has never really put that much effort into it. "If she doesn't, I'm afraid we can't let her join Midtown Tech." He nods at Derek, who nods back at him. It's only fair. All the students here had to pass these three tests to be able to get into the school. The only issue is that Daphne needs to do harder tests, as she's in a higher year. "She seems motivated enough, though." Daphne looks at Peter.

"If I can't come to Midtown Tech, I'm gonna have to drop the scholarship." Peter suddenly understands.  
"Which means you can't do ballet anymore," he mutters.  
"Yeah..." Peter straightens his back.  
"When are the tests?" He asks determined.  
"Monday afternoon," Derek says. Peter gulps. _Monday?_ That's about as unfair as can be. Peter was told what chapters of the books he needed to know three weeks before the actual tests were. Plus, the tests were spread out over three days. Now Daphne has one short weekend to study for all three tests and all of them are even more difficult. Not to mention she has to do them all in one afternoon! And get at least an 80% score! "She can't miss too much of school. If she wants to join Midtown Tech, it's going to have to be Monday," Derek sighs.

Peter turns to Daphne.  
"Let me help you study."  
"What?" Daphne frowns. "No, I can't ask that of y-" Peter interrupts her by putting his hands on her shoulders.  
"You helped me with ballet, I'll help you with your studies." He realizes he slipped up, informing the principal that he does ballet, but he doesn't really care about that right now. He wants to help Daphne. She presses her lips on top of each other and shoots him a worried glance.  
"Are you really sure?"  
"A hundred percent." He smiles at her and squeezes her shoulders gently. "I got you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anybody keeping count on all the "I got you"s that Peter's said so far? Trust me, there are many more to come!
> 
> I just quickly wanted to thank everyone who comments on these chapters. I post these right before I go to bed, so waking up to all your kind messages really is the best start of my day. Makes me feel warm and happy! Thanks again!


	32. Showers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne doesn't know Peter's already in her apartment. Peter realizes something big.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when you just start typing a chapter before planning it out, lol. It's all over the place, but it was a lot of fun to write nonetheless!

Marie called Daphne that evening to ask if she could fill in for the regular employee again at the dance wear shop. The last time Daphne had done that, she met Peter. Just thinking of Peter makes her stomach do flips. It's normal, right? Feeling warm and happy when you think about a good friend? Daphne feels bad for having to disappoint Marie, but she simply has no time to work this weekend. She _has_ to study.

Daphne spends all Friday evening sorting out the chapters of the books she has to learn and gathering exercises to practice during the weekend. She doesn't sleep well that night. She wakes up at seven in the morning, drenched in sweat. She dreamed she slept through the entire weekend, not having studied one second and having to go into the tests completely blank. After staring at her ceiling for almost an hour, Daphne glides out of bed and makes her way to the en suite bathroom. Maybe a shower will help clear her mind.

The warm water relaxes her tensed muscles. She washes her hair, gently massaging her scalp. The foam builds on her head and she squeezes her eyes shut when she angles her face under the shower head, letting all the soap slide down her body. She carefully washes the scar on her back and moves on to the rest of her body. She hums the Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker as she rinses off the last bits of soap. Daphne turns the faucet until the water stops flowing and grabs a small towel to twist her hair into. She uses a second, only slightly bigger towel to dry her body.

When she steps out of the tub, she realizes she forgot to bring a clean set of underwear to the bathroom. She blames her anxious brain. She wraps the towel around her body and makes her way to the bedroom. It's just past eight, so her dad must have already left. Daphne decides to put the kettle on, so the water will be boiling when she's done getting dressed. She really wants a good, strong, caffeinated cup of tea and she wants it sooner rather than later. _Efficient time management._ She tells herself. She takes off the towel around her hair and throws it back into the bathroom. She tightens the towel around her body and opens the door to the hallway. The wooden floor is cold against her feet, so she rushes around the corner to the living room.

...

Derek makes his way to the front door. He's already late for work and he really needs to check the samples from the snow leopards that he took yesterday, before Daphne came to see him about her school issue. He grabs his bag on the way to the door and opens it.  
"Good morning, sir!" Peter says with a bright smile as he straightens his back. He's wearing his staple flannel shirt with a sweater over top. His winter coat is unzipped. From the way he pants slightly, Derek can tell Peter ran up the stairs. He holds onto the straps of his backpack. Derek laughs. The kid is so eager to help Daphne he showed up at their doorstep at eight o'clock in the morning. It was endearing, really.

"Hi, Peter."  
"Sorry, I'm early. Is Daphne up yet?"  
"Yeah, she is! I gotta get to work, though." Derek takes his coat and scarf from the coat rack and brushes past Peter. "Make yourself at home, but don't do anything fishy, got it?" Peter's cheeks go red from what Derek implies. Or at least what he thinks Derek implies. Derek raises his eyebrows at Peter as he pauses his walk down the stairs.  
"We're just gonna study, sir." He points at his backpack. "I made flash cards and everything."  
"And what's in the paper bag?" Peter glances at the paper bag that's sticking out of his backpack.  
"Cheesecake, sir." Peter smiles nervously. "From the bakery she likes so much."  
"You got a slice for me too?" There's a twinkle in Derek's eyes. Daphne must've gotten her sweet tooth from her father.  
"Yes, sir." Peter nods quickly and reaches for his bag. "Do you want it now?"  
"No, no, don't bother. Put it in the fridge for me, please." Derek laughs. "I'll eat it when I get home." Peter relaxes his shoulders and smiles.  
"Okay!"  
"Gotta run, Pete. Say hi to Daphne from me!" Derek rushes down the stairs.  
"Will do, sir!"

When Derek is out of sight, Peter slowly makes his way into the apartment. He's only ever seen Daphne's bedroom as Spider-Man, so this is really the first time he's ever been there himself. He gently closes the door behind him and hangs his coat up on the rack. He puts his backpack on the floor and unzips it, taking out the paper bag with the cheesecake slices. The open floor plan of the room is easy to navigate and he quickly finds his way to the fridge. He feels like he's intruding, being practically alone in the apartment. He opens the fridge and finds a spot for the sweet treats. He closes the door and wonders what to do next.

Peter has no idea where Daphne wants to study, so laying everything out already might be unnecessary work. He shuffles to the other side of the kitchen when he hears a door open. His glance shoots to the hallway. Should he call out for her? Before he gets time to process that she's coming, she's already in the living room.

Peter's eyes go wide and he freezes where he stands. Opposite him is Daphne. Equally frozen when their eyes meet. She's wearing nothing but a relatively small towel, wrapped around her body. Her hair is still wet, but not dripping. It frames her face and sticks to her shoulders and collar bones in thick parts. He's seen her in skin tight clothes every Tuesday and Thursday for over a month now, but seeing her in just a towel makes Peter's blood rush through his body. She's absolutely breath taking.

"Peter?!" She yelps and Peter turns around to have his back face her. He squeezes his eyes shut and hides his face in his hands. His cheeks are bright red and so are his ears.  
"Oh, God, I'm so sorry!" He exclaims. He hunches, cringing at what's happening.  
"How the fuck did you get in?!" He hears her shuffle back into the hallway. She's hiding behind the wall.  
"Your dad let me in!"  
"And he left?!"  
"He said he had to go to work!" It's quiet for a second in the hallway. He can hear her heartbeat slow down as the realization hits her.  
"Shit, you're right." She peeks her head around the corner. "You can look, Pete," she says softly. "It's okay." Peter slowly turns back to the hallway. "I did see you in your underwear before too." She tries to make light of the situation by referencing what happened in the changing rooms when he had his first ballet class. "Guess we're even now."

He carefully glances her way before standing up straight. She's still half hiding in the hallway, but he can see half of her body. He needs to do everything he can to not look at anything other than her face. His hormones need to _stop._  
"I, uh..." Peter stutters. "I made flash cards." He points towards his backpack at the door with his thumbs, not breaking eye contact with Daphne. She chuckles softly and the sound of it makes his heart flutter.  
"I should probably get dressed before we get to that." Peter presses his lips on top of each other and looks away. He takes a deep breath.  
"Y-Yeah, you probably should." She disappears into the hallway.

"Could you maybe put the kettle on? I'll be there in a minute," she half shouts from her bedroom. Peter turns to the kitchen. He spots the kettle in a corner and walks towards it.  
"Will do!" He has to keep it together. As he refills the kettle with fresh water, he keeps seeing the image of her shocked face in the hallway. The way her legs looked... And her collar bones. Her ash blonde hair had a deep brown color from the shower and it looked like it was glued to her body. Her flush face and plump lips. Her wide, gleaming eyes...

_Shit._ Peter thinks. _Maybe I am crushing on her._ Peter really wishes he could take a shower himself now. An ice cold one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 👀👀👀👀


	33. Kitchen Towels and Cucumbers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter helps Daphne study and they dance to some 80s tunes to relieve some stress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Catch me studying up on science and physics (two subjects I absolutely hated in high school) in order to write stuff that makes sense, lol. This is some tooth aching fluff, my dudes. Enjoy!

Daphne and Peter settled at the breakfast bar. They agreed that she would read through the subjects first to figure out where she gets lost and then he can help her with that. While she reads, he's doing his own homework. However, she can't focus on the books in front of her. Her brain keeps telling her she won't get the eighty percent on the tests anyways, so why should she even bother. It's like whatever's on the pages is in a different language. The long, difficult words that cover the paper almost make her dizzy.

Daphne glances at Peter, who's bent over his own homework. The end of his mechanical pencil rests in the corner of his mouth. He's completely focused on the exercise in front of him. A slight frown twitches in his brows and he scrunches his nose while reading the question. _Cute._ She raises her eyebrows at her own thought and quickly looks back at her own books. What's going on with her? Everything used to be so normal with Peter. It was just a regular friendship, right? But whenever she looks at him now, or even thinks of him, she feels... something. Isn't it way too soon to feel anything like this? It hasn't even been two months yet. But he's so kind... And funny... And he's... _Cute._

Peter protected her from day one, when she was in the store with just him. He came to find her when Loki took her. He brought her home. He's going to help her with her pas de deux classes... She takes another peek at him. He's still frowning at his book. Sometimes he writes down part of an equation. A brown curl falls down his forehead. She wants to put it back in place. His hair looks so soft. She wants to touch it. Touch him. Hold him.

"You alright?" He asks, not looking up from his work. She snaps out of her trance and sits up straight.  
"Wha- yea?"  
"You've been staring at me for a while." How did he even notice? She barely had her head turned towards him. Does he have a sixth sense or something? He pushes the hair that's in front of his face back onto his head and looks at her. "It's a little distracting." _No,_ Daphne thinks. _You're distracting._ "If you need help with anything you can ask me, you know?"  
"I don't want to bo-" She stops herself when the kind look on his face twists into a glare.

Daphne knows he doesn't like it when she says that, but she just can't help it.  
"You're not bothering me, Daph, I came here to help you study." He closes his own books and pushes them to the side. He stands up to move his stool closer to hers and sits down again next to her. His shoulder brushes past hers and she quietly holds her breath. He reads the paragraph she's stuck at. He clears his throat. "Alright, oscillation." He nods and scans the page one more time and then looks at her. When she turns her head to face him, she realizes how close she is, but she decides to push everything away that is not important to her studies right now. She absolutely has to get into this school.

_If you get 80 percent on all tests you get to see Peter every day._ The thought makes her perk up. Another reason to work extra hard this weekend.  
"Yeah, I don't really get the concept cause it's so broad?" She mutters. "The book says it can apply to anything, from biology to economics?"  
"Yep," Peter pops the p at the end. "So, all you really gotta know about it, is this;" He looks around the room and spots the kitchen towel. He gets up to grab it and stands in front of her, letting the towel hang from one corner in his fingertips. "Oscillation is when something moves back and forth at a steady rate, with a central value." He starts swinging the towel side to side. "Don't really have a pendulum or anything, but this works too." She stares at the towel and nods slowly. He stops the towel again and lets it hang still. "So, this would be the central value. Nothing happens."  
"Uh-huh."  
"But when an outside force uses energy on it," he says as he swings it again. "It starts moving around the central value. Oscillation."

Daphne thinks for a second.  
"Like a heartbeat?" Peter looks up at her. Daphne's heartbeat is suddenly a loud thumping in his ears. He takes a breath and pushes the sound out of his thoughts. Stupid Spider-Powers.  
"Exactly like a heartbeat." He grabs the towel with two hands and puts it on the breakfast bar. Daphne recalls being hooked up to one of those machines that reads your heart rate when she woke up after what happened with Loki. The screen showed a line and her heartbeat was moving back and forth with that line always at the middle. The central value.  
"I think I get it."  
"Think or know?" He cocks his head at her and she smiles.  
"I know."

...

They spend all day going through the subject matter. Peter found out that Daphne learns better by seeing examples and discussing things, rather than just reading it from a book. So, he was constantly in search of items around the apartment he could use to explain different topics. And if she didn't have anything useful at home, he'd look up a video online for them to watch.

At around six o'clock they're interrupted by Daphne's phone. They just ordered Thai food and are waiting for the delivery by doing some calculus exercises. Derek's calling. The conversation is short, but Peter's not really paying attention as he's trying to figure out the answer to an exercise that even he finds difficult. When she hangs up, she presses her lips on top of each other and looks at Peter.  
"So, uh... My dad's not coming home tonight." Peter frowns at her.  
"Why?"  
"One of the snow leopards caught an illness, he found it in the samples he took." Daphne walks to the sink to pour herself a glass of water. "He needs to stay at the zoo to monitor her all night. Possibly all weekend."  
"Oh, wow," Peter breathes. He doesn't really know what to say. He feels bad for her father. Having to stay at work that long can't be fun. But he also doesn't really mind getting to spend more time with just Daphne. Alone. "I hope the leopard gets well soon." The comment sounded better in his head. Daphne looks into the glass absentmindedly as she twists it around to create a little whirlpool.  
"I hope so too," she says softly.

Peter looks at Daphne with worry. She's tired, he can tell. He clears his throat and gets up from the couch, where they had moved to earlier that afternoon. They've been studying all day now, only taking a short break for lunch. Her brain must be fried from all the information she needs to keep in her head. He finds a playlist on his phone and easily connects it to the stereo system. He doesn't exactly know what music she listens to, other than classical ballets, but an 80s playlist is a safe bet, he assumes.

Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" starts playing. He walks up to her and takes the glass of water out of her hands. He places it on the counter and gently takes her hands in his. She looks up at him, confused. He smiles at her.  
"It's good to relax after studying for so long." He raises her hands a little higher and cocks his head. "May I have this dance?" Daphne snorts and lets her head fall into his chest. "What?" He laughs and she looks back up at him.  
"I was afraid you were gonna call me m'lady for a second."  
"I left my fedora at home," he chuckles.  
"You better burn it before I come over to your place." His heart jumps at the thought of her being in his apartment. His _room_. He realizes he can't wait for May to meet her. May would love her.  
"I promise." He smiles at her glimmering eyes and starts shuffling side to side. "So? Wanna dance?"

"_Please!_" She groans as he pulls him to an open area in the living room. When they get to where they have enough space to dance, he twirls her with his hand above her head. She laughs as she stops turning and starts stepping in her place, moving her hips to the music. She starts singing along. She hasn't let go of Peter's hand yet and he squeezes hers softly.

He's surprised at her singing voice. It's not something you'd hear on a radio or a talent show, but she reaches all the notes, like a trained singer. She must've gotten singing classes at her art school. All Peter does is awkwardly bounce along to the music. He's not very confident in his dancing and he'd rather not ruin the mood by singing. Regardless of how he feels about himself, he's absolutely enamored by Daphne. Seeing her genuinely have fun like this fills up his body with happiness.

The song fades and Daphne stretches her back. Patiently waiting for the next song. There's a playful look in her eyes. Some kind of techno beat starts and Peter doesn't recognize it at first. Daphne, however, freaks out and starts jumping around giddily. When the piano kicks in, he realizes what the song is and bursts out laughing at the irony. Daphne runs to the kitchen and opens the fridge, grabbing a cucumber and practically throwing the door closed. She gracefully leaps over the coffee table that's filled with their books and jumps on top of the couch. One foot is placed on the arm rest and the other slowly sinks into the cushions. She moves dramatically as she sings along with everything she has, using the cucumber as a microphone.

_"Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?"_

She slowly moves her stretched out arm from one side to the other, making a big half circle in front of her while still using her other hand to sing into the cucumber.

_"Where's the street wise Hercules to fight the rising odds?"_

Peter can't contain himself as he's fallen to the floor with laughter. She awkwardly, yet still dramatically shuffles to the other side of the couch, trying to keep her balance with her feet disappearing in the soft cushions. She mirrors her previous stance on the other side of the couch. Her left foot now up on the arm rest and the other not even visible from where it got sucked into the couch. She holds her free hand up to the ceiling, not caring if her neighbours can hear her.

_"Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed? Late at night, I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need!"_

She jumps off the couch and lands with her knees bent. She stands up straight with her legs wide and reaches out for Peter, who's now holding on to his belly, trying to get himself together.

_"I need a hero!"_

She walks up to him and grabs his hand, helping him get up.

_"I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night!"_

Daphne grabs his bicep and squeezes playfully to the beat.

_"He's gotta be strong!"_

She lets go of him and twirls quickly.

_"He's gotta be fast!"_

She pretends to wipe sweat off her forehead and softly punches him in the chest with her free hand.

_"And he's gotta be fresh from the fight!"_

She turns away to jump around the room and continue singing cheerfully. Peter lets himself fall onto the couch and lays down, endearingly looking at how Daphne releases all her stress, like a little ball bouncing around aggressively. Peter can't believe how well the lyrics of the entire song match her situation. When the four-minute song ends she falls onto her knees next to the couch and drops her face onto Peter's stomach, panting loudly. The cucumber now lies on the floor.

"You done?" He asks with a grin. She turns to face him and smiles through her deep breaths. Her head and body are warm against his. She still has her eyes closed. She wants to say yes until the intro to Careless Whispers kicks in.  
"Nah," she chuckles.  
"Oh my God," he laughs as she pulls him out of the seat. She leads him back to the more open area and pushes her body against his in a tight hug. She shuffles side to side slowly, leading him to do the same.

Instead of going all out again, she just stays where she is in his arms. Peter doesn't mind. At all. He holds her too, softly leaning his head on her hair. _Pomegranate._ He used to hate pomegranate but not anymore. She makes pomegranate smell like the best fruit in existence.

Daphne breathes slowly. She hears his heartbeat through his sweater and closes her eyes, being in the moment. Right there. With him. She never really thought of Careless Whisper as a romantic song. It was a meme. At least until now. She feels warm and safe in his embrace. Peter will always be there for her, she just knows. He's got her. When the song nears its end, she slowly looks up at Peter. He stares back into her eyes and smiles kindly. They're _so_ close to each other.

Daphne silently thanks Tony for figuring out the regulator that Peter's wearing around his wrist. Their noses touch gently and he licks his lips, guiding her attention to look at them. She wants to kiss him. There's nothing else she wants right now but to kiss him. Her body feels like it's on fire. She wants this. She knows. She moves in slowly, feeling his breath on her lips. She closes her eyes and...

The bell rings. They both snap out of it and step away from each other. They stare at each other wide-eyed and chuckle nervously.  
"That's... Probably the food," Daphne mutters as she quickly walks to the intercom. She's gonna kick that delivery guy's fucking ass. Well, she won't. But she will. Mentally. Peter stands where she left him. Frozen in place, as Careless Whispers slowly fades into silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They will kiss... One day. 👀 I hope you enjoyed!


	34. Magnetism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter puts a very sleepy Daphne to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more fluffy, sweetness for y'all. I hope you enjoy!

The 80's playlist still softly plays in the background as they eat. Daphne was embarrassed to admit that she'd never eaten with chopsticks before, so Peter proposed he'd teach her that too. After about ten minutes of struggling she gave up and went back to eating with a fork. She promised him she'd learn it one day. He promised he'd keep her to that.

It's quiet as they eat, the weight of a missed kiss hanging in the room. She stares at her food. She plays with the meal, separating the noodles from the vegetables. Poking and poking and poking...  
"Thanks, Pete," Daphne mutters suddenly. The timing was horrible, she realizes, as he currently has his cheeks completely stuffed with noodles and many of them are still hanging out of his mouth. He makes a questioning noise and she chuckles. "For all of this." She looks back at her meal, twisting and untwisting the noodles on her fork. "The food, the studying... For being here..." Peter tries to hide his aggressive chewing by putting his hand in front of his mouth. He can't say anything until he swallows the bite and he really wants to reply. "...With me."

He was about to swallow, but chokes and coughs loudly when she says that, making Daphne get up and rush towards him. "Oh, fuck, I'm sorry, I didn't-"  
"S'okay-" he pushes out. "Jus- a noodle-" he coughs again. "In my lungs." She ignores his sarcasm.  
"That's not okay, man. Can I get you anything?" He keeps coughing and squeezes his eyes shut.  
"Water, please." Daphne scoffs at the fact that he still says please. She grabs his drink from the table and hands it to him. She sits down next to him and lets her hand glide up and down Peter's back slowly until he gets the food out of his air pipe and settles down. He takes it slow, breathing steadily and focusing on her hand on his back. It feels nice and comforting.  
"Remind me never to thank you again when you eat," Daphne jokes.  
"Good idea," Peter says apologetically. Daphne realizes she still has her hand on his back and their thighs are touching. She clears her throat and moves away from him so she can grab her own food again.

"I meant it, though," she mutters. "Thank you."  
"Anything for you, Daph." He realizes what he said and quickly grabs his own plate again. Stuffing his face with food again to stop himself from saying more things that might embarrass him. They finish their meals in silence, listening to the playlist. Peter coughs a few more times during dinner to get rid of the remains of the stray noodle in his air pipe. Eventually Daphne puts the dishes in the sink. She walks back to the couch and flops down into it.  
"So, what's next?" Peter looks at her, slightly shocked. Does she want him to make a move? She bends forward to the table and grabs her science book. _Oh,_ he thinks, slightly disappointed. He collects himself and takes the book from Daphne, reading the next chapter carefully.  
"Alright." He clears his throat. "Magnetism."

...

"Daph?" Peter realizes Daphne has been rather quiet for a few minutes now, not really responding to what he's explaining to her anymore. Her head rests on his shoulder and her breathing is steady. Peter touches her hair and smiles softly. "Bed time." Daphne perks up at that, her eyes still half closed.  
"Nooo," she mumbles. "Gotta... gotta study more."  
"You're pretty much already asleep," Peter chuckles.  
"No, I'm not, I'm wide awake." Her voice sounds lulled and she softly drops her head back on his shoulder again. "No sleep."  
"Yes sleep."

Peter gently holds her head in his hand as he turns to her on the couch. He guides one of her arms over his shoulder and puts his other arm under her knees. He stands up, lifting her with him. She lets out a soft yelp. "Don't worry, I got you," he says quietly. She's light as a feather. She hooks her other arm around him instinctively and hides her face in the crook of his neck. He carried her like this a week ago as well, when he took her back from Loki.  
"Smell nice," she mumbles. Peter chuckles and can't help but stick his nose in her hair and press a quick, soft peck on top of her head.  
"You smell nice too."  
"Mm..."

He walks to her bedroom, navigating through the hallway easily. He's been here before, but not as Peter. Not that she seems to care about anything right now. He somehow succeeds at opening her sheets without letting go of her and places her in the middle of her bed. She moans gratefully when her head touches the pillows and she turns to her side, curling up into a little ball, with her back to Peter. Her arm still sticks out backwards, though. She's not letting go of Peter's hand, even though this position seems highly uncomfortable.

"Daph, it's late, I gotta go home." He pulls softly, trying to get his hand back.  
"No," she pushes out with a slight frown. "Stay..." Peter freezes. She turns on her back to look at him with half open, pleading eyes. "With me..." His heart beats fast in his chest. She's not going to let go of him.  
"I don't have pajamas with me," he stutters. "Or my tooth brush." What a horrible excuse. She tugs at his hand.  
"Come..." She turns her back on him again. It still doesn't really look like a comfortable position with her arm stretched out like this. He'd only have to pull once and he'd probably dislocate it. "Sleep..." He wants to. He really does. But what if her father comes home earlier than expected? He'd throw Peter out the window.

"I-"  
"Please." It's only a whisper. Soft and sweet. Her thumb rubs slow circles on his hand and he melts under her touch. He realizes he's delaying the inevitable. His mind wanders for a brief moment, comparing himself to a sailor finally giving in to the siren, who was beckoning- no- luring him towards her with her sweet, honey-coated voice. There are no harsh rocks for him to crash on, though. There's a bed. And soft pillows. And a thick duvet to keep them warm.

He sits down on the bed and it squeaks softly under his weight. Daphne hums delighted at her victory. Peter's heart flutters at how cute she is when she's sleep drunk. He tries to lay down a little bit away from her, but the hand she's holding him with pulls him towards her. She curls his arm around her waist and he can't think straight anymore. Her body is flush against his and she holds onto his arm with both hands now.

He's not exactly comfortable. The buttons on the shirt he's wearing under his sweater are pushing into his skin. Still, he doesn't want to move. Maybe she really is a siren after all. Daphne sighs deeply, but twitches suddenly.  
"You okay?" Pete whispers. She lets go of his arm and shuffles to turn around to face him.  
"You feel tense," she replies. She talks slowly, trying to stay sleepy.  
"It's fine."  
"No, Pete, what's up?" she pushes herself slightly away from him, to look in his eyes. She sniffs. "Not comfy?" Peter chuckles.  
"How'd you know?"  
"I just do," she mumbles, tugging at his sweater. He clenches his jaw. "You can take it off if you want. I don't mind."

Peter's breath hitches in his throat. She notices how he tenses up and starts to turn around again.  
"I won't look, I promise," she says quickly. He immediately puts a hand on her shoulder to keep her from turning. Their eyes lock as the air leaves his lungs.  
"It's okay." He shuffles away from her a little to get enough space to lift the sweater over his head. She stares intently at his movements. Still half asleep, but enjoying it nonetheless. He starts fumbling with the buttons, but his nerves make it difficult to open them. She puts her hand on his to stop him.  
"Let me help," she says softly as she starts unbuttoning the shirt.

The fabric tickles against his skin as it moves around because of her hands. One by one, tantalizingly slowly, she opens up his shirt. She gasps quietly when she sees his chest. And his abs. Her fingers ghost over his skin, not really touching him, but he can feel them. He can feel her. She chuckles. "Are you flexing?" He smiles, remembering he had a similar conversation with her as Spider-Man.  
"No," he lies. He swiftly takes off the shirt and drops it on the floor next to the bed. When he turns back to her, her face is already relaxed and her eyes are closed. He shuffles closer to her and she smiles as she settles her face against his chest again.  
"Magnetism," she sighs. "A physical phenomenon produced by the motion of electric charge, which results in attractive and repulsive forces between objects." Peter's chest squeezes tight. He _really_ likes her.

He closes his eyes now too, losing himself in her scent and her presence against his body.  
"A+," he mumbles into her hair.  
"Damn right." It's quiet for a second and Peter expects her to have fallen asleep already, until she suddenly speaks again. She says it so softly, he isn't sure if she even meant for him to hear it. "I feel so safe with you..." He tightens his embrace around her a little bit, smiling into the pillow.  
"I'll always be here for you, Daph," he sighs. "I got you. Always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel so evil writing fluff for some reason. But also /so/ good. I hope you liked it!


	35. Hoodie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunday!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made this chapter a little longer, because I might not be able to post anything this weekend. Sorry! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Daphne wakes up slowly, not realizing what happened, or where she is. She's trying to make sense of her position and her heart beats faster when she figures out what's going on. Peter's lying on his back. His chest is bare. Daphne is laying right next to him on her side, holding onto him with her arm and having one leg pulled in over his body, hooking around his upper leg. She's like a koala, clinging onto a tree. Skin to skin. She doesn't hate it. On the contrary. She's actually really comfortable.

Her circulation isn't _that_ great, so she's often chilly. Her hands and feet are practically always cold. Not right now, though. Peter emits a comfortable warmth, like a portable heater. He does feel warmer than anyone else she's ever met, but she guesses that's just how he is. Daphne realizes she's never slept as peacefully as she did with Peter at her side. Last week they'd fallen asleep together on the hospital bed, but Tony woke Peter up to go home. She can vividly remember the uncomfortable tightness she felt in her chest when she was woken up for a check-up and Peter was gone. But right now, he's here. With her. She's safe. With him.

Daphne peeks at the clock on her night stand. Four o'clock in the morning. She can probably get in another couple hours of sleep before she needs to study again. She doesn't really want to move right now anyways. She looks up at Peter's face. His mouth is slightly opened and he snores softly. His breathing is steady and slow and his face is completely relaxed. So peaceful. His brown curls are tousled and this time she can't fight the urge to tuck the strand of hair that's in his face back where it belongs. Her hand ghosts around his cheek and she smiles at him. At how soft he looks, even though she can barely see his face in the dark.

She pulls her arm back in and snuggles up against Peter just a little more. The moonlight illuminates his uncovered chest. Her eyes trace the lines of his muscles. _He was definitely flexing last night._ She suppresses a chuckle. She can't deny he's ripped, though. Who's his trainer? When does he even have time to maintain this physique? Ballet twice a week is _not_ enough exercise. Especially not for pecs like those. Plus, he's quite the nerd. Peter spends a lot of time in Mr. Stark's lab and Daphne doesn't dare to imagine the piles of homework he gets at Midtown Tech. Not when she might be getting the same amount of homework soon too. He also spends time with Ned, building complicated Lego constructions. And his his aunt, whom he doesn't stop talking about once she's mentioned... When does Peter work out?

Daphne can't wait to meet May. She sounds like the best mother figure one could ask for. She wonders if May knows the gratitude and awe Peter has for her. Daphne can hear it in his tone. He loves her. Daphne is sure she'll love May too. She sighs and swears silently at herself for letting her thoughts wander so much. She's waking up and she doesn't want to. She wants to fall asleep again. But something just doesn't sit right with her.

Peter has some sort of secret. Which is weird, because he tells her literally everything about himself. Maybe that's the reason she hadn't suspected him yet. She closes her eyes, letting her mind race. What could it be? What is he hiding? Her thoughts don't add up and are making her tired again. She takes a deep breath and decides to ask him about it sometime after the tests. She has something more important to focus on than a secret that's most likely stupid and unimportant. If it could wait this long, it can probably wait a few more days. She does hope she's worrying for nothing. Maybe he just does a shit ton of push-ups before bed. Or when he wakes up, or something. She sighs, lets go of her thoughts, albeit with great difficulty, and drifts back off to sleep.

...

When Daphne wakes up again, she frowns. Her bed feels empty. She feels around the mattress and opens her eyes when she realizes everywhere around her is cold. She sits upright and looks at her room. Her chest feels tight again. Just like it did last week. Peter's shirt and sweater are missing from the floor. A quiet panic rises in her stomach. _Where'd he go?_ She leaps out of bed and rushes to the living room, hoping to find him there. Instead, it's empty. And quiet. She frantically starts looking for her phone, not understanding why she's panicking so much. She lets herself fall onto the couch when she reads the text that he had sent an hour ago while she was still asleep.

_Cindy:_ _  
Morning, dove, just swinging home real quick to freshen up. Be back at 9._

Her heart skips a beat. How proud must he be for figuring out he could change her nickname from Daph to dove. She frowns at the second half of the first sentence. Something feels odd about it, but she doesn't know what. She shakes the feeling and starts typing.

_Daphne:_ _  
Morning! Did you have breakfast yet or am I making us some?_

She stares at her screen for a minute as drowsiness catches up with her again. She sits up straight when he starts typing. She pulls in her legs and impatiently waits for his message.

_Cindy:_ _  
F o o d !_

She chortles and gets up, making her way to the bedroom as she types.

_Daphne:_ _  
Bacon and eggs?_

This time she doesn't have to wait for long. The same reply pops up immediately.

_Cindy:_ _  
F o o d !_

She holds her head with her free hand and smiles. He's such an idiot.

_Daphne:_ _  
Be warned, I'm not a chef._

_Cindy:_ _  
Dw, my aunt isn't a chef either. I love her but she can't cook._

Before Daphne can reply, he quickly sends another text.

_Cindy:_ _  
Please don't tell her I said that._

Daphne grabs a towel and fresh underwear and presses it against her body under her arm so she can still type with two hands. She has a bit of time to freshen up before she has to start making breakfast for them.

_Daphne:_ _  
My lips are sealed._

She sends him a few fitting emojis and puts her phone on the little shelf above the sink. She runs some hot water and washes her face. Her thoughts wander to what she's going to be doing today. More studying. _Yay._ She dries her face in the towel she grabbed and looks at her reflection in the mirror. At least Peter will be there to help her. She doesn't think she's ever understood physics as well as she does now. All thanks to him and his incredible patience with her. She washes herself quickly and changes into a clean pair of sweatpants and a loose-fitting shirt.

The bell rings. Daphne turns off the stove and walks to the intercom.  
"Hiya!" She says cheerily.  
"Hey, I'm back!" Peter's panting. _Did he run here?_ "Sorry, I'm a little late! Had to take... Uh... A detour. Some thugs were holding hostages downtown and it messed up all the trains." Daphne hesitates. Her mind races back to her early morning thought flow. One word keeps repeating itself in her mind. _Secret._ She brings herself back to reality by shaking her head.  
"Come on in!" She presses the buzzer and opens the front door. She heads back to the kitchen and puts the bacon and eggs on plates.

Suddenly, two arms wrap around her and a warm body is pressed against hers. The familiar presence makes her sigh contently.  
"Smells good," Peter mumbles in her ear.  
"I did my best," Daphne smiles as she places a hand on top of his arm.  
"You're the best."  
"Oh, shush." She wiggles free from his grasp and walks to the front door to close it. When she turns back to Peter, she notices he's wearing a Midtown Tech hoodie. He follows her gaze down to his chest. He scratches the back of his head and laughs apologetically.  
"Figured it'd bring good luck."  
"Let's hope it does." She steps towards him and lets her hands ghost over the school's logo. She then looks up to meet his gaze. He smiles softly at her, reassuring her that he's going to be there with her every step of the way. She cocks her head confidently and nods. "Let's fucking do this."

...

At nine o'clock at night, Derek unlocks the front door. He's surprised to find Peter still tutoring Daphne and he wonders if he ever left the house. Peter's different outfit makes Derek sigh in relief. He didn't sleep over. Peter's wearing a T-shirt right now. His school hoodie was discarded when they discussed the topic of motion. It lies on the chair next to the TV.  
"Dad!" Daphne jumps up from the couch and practically throws herself against her father. "You're back!"  
"Finally," he groans. "I love those animals, but they don't do all that much. 'Specially when they're sick." He throws his bag in the corner and doesn't even bother hanging up his coat. He embraces his daughter. "I would love that slice of cheesecake now, if you don't mind." He glances up to meet Peter's eyes.  
"Yes, sir." Peter gets up immediately and awkwardly shuffles to the kitchen.  
"Sorry, I couldn't wait. I had mine yesterday." Daphne pouts dramatically at her father, knowing he doesn't mind anyways.  
"S'okay, Daph. I'm gonna run a bath real quick. How's the studying coming along?"  
"We're just going over everything one more time now." Daphne smiles wide. She places her hands on her hips and her eyes beam with confidence. "I'm ready for anything!"  
"That's amazing, kid." He pats her head and grins. "Was Pete of any help?" Daphne laughs.  
"I'd still be on chapter one if it weren't for him."

...

Daphne cleans up Peter's glass. He left ten minutes ago. It's just past eleven. When Derek came home, Peter became incredibly awkward for some reason. Daphne guesses it's because they've been so close all weekend. Peter hasn't really touched her since her father came home. All he gave her was a hug, that felt just a little too short for her liking, right before he left. Her father went to bed the second Daphne closed the door behind Peter. He was exhausted, but didn't want her and Peter to spend a second by themselves anymore. His supervision made it all a little embarrassing, but she can't hate him for being protective of her. Even if it was a little too late. She chuckles. Daphne can already hear him snoring. She closes the science textbook when she spots Peter's school hoodie, still on the chair. She frowns. It's mid-October. Did he really go out without his hoodie? She grabs her phone and texts him.

_Daphne:_ _  
Aren't you cold?_

She tosses her phone on the couch and continues tidying up. She puts the dishes in the sink, but before she turns on the tap, she hears her phone buzz. She drops herself onto the couch and unlocks her phone.

_Cindy:_ _  
No? Why?_

Daphne scoffs and types.

_Daphne:_ _  
It's like, 50 degrees outside. Your hoodie is still here!_

She sucks on her teeth as she thinks. A mischievous grin grows on her face and she grabs the hoodie from the chair. She hides her face in it. It smells like him. _Safe._ She doesn't hesitate and puts it on. It's a little big on her, but it feels like he has his arms wrapped around her again. She sighs with her eyes closed, enjoying the moment. After a second or two she grabs her phone again. He hasn't replied yet, which is a little odd, as he's online. She holds the phone up and takes a selfie, making sure the logo on the hoodie is in frame. She squeezes her eyes shut and scrunches her nose as she smiles wide. She knows she always second guesses selfies, so she decides to not even look at it and just send it with the caption _"See?"_. It doesn't take long for him to reply this time.

_Cindy:_ _  
Looks good on you. Let's get you one in your size tomorrow!_

He still hasn't given her a proper explanation as to why he can juts walk out in just a T-shirt during fall, but she finds herself not caring about that anymore. At least not right now. A warm, fuzzy feeling spreads through her body. Did he leave it for her on purpose? She wants to be swallowed whole by the hoodie. Relish in it. In _him._ He's going to have to get another one, cause she's keeping this one. She makes her way to her bedroom and turns off the lights, forgetting about the dishes. After brushing her teeth, she climbs into bed and looks at her phone one more time.

_Daphne:_ _  
Thanks again, Pete. See you tomorrow! Night!_

She attaches a heart emoji and hits send before she knows it. She panics for a second. She just sent him a _heart!_ He doesn't keep her waiting for a reply, though.

_Cindy:_ _  
Night, dove. Hope you sleep well._

She stares at the emoji he put in his reply. She takes a very slow, very deep breath. Her heart flutters and she squeals quietly, pressing her phone against her chest. He sent her a heart too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 <3 <3 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Writing a weekend full of fluff was so much fun! Time to get back to the real world in the next chapter! Would love to hear what you think!


	36. Tests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the big test day! Peter and Daphne are nervous and Flash joins the convo to be a dick, as usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO - I HAVE RETURNED FROM A WEEKEND OF CON! Two chapters today, to make up for my absence!

The harsh school bell indicates it's lunch time and Peter rushes out the class room to the entrance of the school. He holds onto the straps of his bag as he almost dances around the hungry teens that are filling up the hallways. Daphne's tests start in about twenty minutes and he _really_ wants to wish her good luck.  
"Yo, Parker, what's the rush?" Peter swiftly evades Flash and turns the corner to the school's entrance. A smile spreads on his face when he spots her. She has her hair in a messy bun and she's clutching her backpack against her chest. She must be nervous. His smile turns into a grin ever so slightly when he sees she's wearing his hoodie again.

"Daph!" She looks up at him and her eyes light up. She drops her bag and rushes to him. They come together in a tight hug. He squeezes her softly and she chuckles.  
"Hey, Pete," she mumbles in his chest.  
"Hope you slept well?" He pushes away from her slowly to look her in the eye.  
"I did!" She takes a step backwards and spins, showing off his hoodie. "Had you with me all night." She smiles wide.  
"And you're still wearing it?" Peter laughs. "Gross!"  
"Oh, shush, you." She weakly punches him in the chest and looks at her feet, laughing along with him. She then bites her lip and grabs the bottom hem of the hoodie, raising her elbows to take it off.  
"No, no, it's fine! You can hold onto it." He takes her hands off the hoodie and holds on to them, rubbing slow circles on her palms with his thumbs. "It's good luck, right?" Daphne scoffs.  
"M'gonna need that." She takes a deep breath, realizing she has about fifteen minutes left before her first test.

Daphne looks down again and Peter bends his knees, tilting his body and cocking his head to find her gaze.  
"You got this, dove." He smiles reassuringly at her as he straightens his back again. Their eyes remain locked. She nods slowly.  
"I got this."  
"Hey, Penis, who's this pretty bird?" Peter rolls his eyes and turns around.  
"Not now, Flash."  
"_Pretty bird?_" Daphne steps aside so she can look at Flash as well. He's exactly what she thought he looked like, based on what Peter's told her about him. Ass hat. "Are you for real?"  
"I'll call you anything you want, sweet pea." Daphne shudders. "Is little Penis Parker bothering you?" She cocks an eyebrow.  
"Fuck off."  
"Ooh, feisty!" Daphne clenches her jaw as Flash steps towards them and Peter moves to stand between them.

Who does Flash think he is? What's up with all these stereotypical douchebag lines? Does he even know what he's saying?   
"What's your name?"  
"I don't think you've earned that yet."  
"Leave her alone, Flash, she doesn't have time for you right now." Daphne places her hand on Peter's back, trying to calm him down.  
"Wait, so she's your girlfriend?" Flash scoffs. Daphne can feel Peter's entire body tense up. "As if."  
"Hey, Flash!" Flash turns to MJ, who saunters towards them. "You left your burner on. You better go turn it off before you set the school on fire."  
"What?!" Flash jumps. "Why didn't you turn it off for me?"  
"Oh, I dunno, probably cause I'm not your butler." MJ crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. "Now scram." Flash runs back to the classroom and MJ smirks.

"Thanks." Daphne moves to stand next to Peter and smiles at MJ. Peter visibly relaxes when Flash is out of sight. "What a dick."  
"Yup." MJ leans back on her heels and puts her hands in her pockets. "I did turn his burner off, by the way." She raises her eyebrows and presses her lips on top of each other in a funny looking grin.  
"I figured," Peter laughs.  
"So," MJ says as she turns to Daphne. "Peter's been anxious all day and now you're here again. Got anything to tell me?" Daphne laughs sheepishly, trying to ignore that MJ's probably referring to her and Peter's relationship. Her brain buffers for a second and her laugh comes to halt. What kind of relationship do they have anyways? What is going on between them? She collects herself and cocks her head.

"I've got my application tests in, like, five minutes."  
"Wait, already?" MJ frowns. "Don't you get three weeks to study like we all did?"  
"Ha!" Daphne scoffs. "I wish. I guess we're gonna have to see if I can get in. Cause, y'know..." Daphne shrugs while pointing at herself. "...art kid." Daphne raises one eyebrow and the corner of her mouth curls up. MJ nods once and snorts.  
"Well, art kid..." MJ turns around and starts walking away. She puts one hand up as if to wave, but she doesn't actually move it. "...Break a leg!"

...

Peter walks Daphne to the classroom where she's going to take her tests. Her bag is hanging casually over her shoulder, now that he's with her. They're walking shoulder to shoulder, letting the backs of their hands graze past each other. Neither of them have the courage to actually hold hands. When they reach the right classroom, Peter turns to Daphne and nods at the hoodie, tugging at the shoulders and reminding her of its supposed good luck.

"You can do this, Daph." He gives her an encouraging smile. "I know you can." She plays with her fingers and takes a deep breath. She can't get a word out of her throat anymore. Her stomach is catching up with her, doing flips in her body. This is it. All or nothing. Peter squeezes her arms softly and lets go of her so she can open the door. She straightens her back and looks at Peter one more time with a faint smile on her face, before she steps into the classroom and closes the door behind her. It's time for the tests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More coming right up!


	37. Raspberry Cheesecake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne and Peter run into someone they both know at the park.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The big italicized text is a flashback! ^_^

Peter waited over an hour after his classes had ended before Daphne finally came out of the classroom. She looked absolutely exhausted. Burnt out, even. Who wouldn't be after three hours of tests with limited breaks in between? She practically fell into his arms and hid her face in his chest, groaning loudly. She didn't want to tell him how it went, not even when he asked her. He didn't want her to feel bad so he suggested they go out for some fresh air. Principal Morita told her she'd get a call later in the evening when her tests had been assessed by multiple teachers. Daphne and Peter were now headed to Central Park.

...

They sit on a bench at an open area where dogs are allowed to roam freely. It's chilly. Daphne put on her winter coat over Peter's hoodie and Peter has a big scarf wrapped around his neck. He hides his chin and mouth in it. An old golden retriever slowly waddles towards them to come say hi and Daphne lets it sniff her hand before giving it a few pets.  
"What's your name?" She coos the rhetorical question while scratching its neck. Its tail wiggles excitedly. "Where's the big boss?" The dog pants contently and looks back at its owner. Daphne is surprised to see Emma walking their way.

"Daphne?" A smile spreads across Emma's face and her eyebrows raise when she notices Peter. "Hi!"  
Daphne smiles back.  
"Em!" Daphne gives the retriever a few more pets before letting go, giving it the space to waddle back to Emma and sit down next to her. The dog looks at Emma patiently, radiating unconditional love for her. "How are you?"  
"Good, good!" She doesn't give Daphne the time to say something else as she looks at Peter. A mischievous glimmer sparkles in her eyes. "Now, I recall _you_-" She gestures at Peter with her hands, holding on to the dog leash. "-buying raspberry cheesecake slices at my bakery last Saturday." Both Daphne and Peter freeze in their spot.

The dog lays down. It probably senses this is going to take a while. Emma looks back at Daphne and performs the most obvious wink. Daphne wishes she could hide in her coat.  
"Peter helped me study for some big tests," she says, immediately regretting saying his name.  
"Ah, Peter!" Emma claps her hands together, making her dog perk up for a second. Emma brings her attention back to Peter. "I knew you were getting it for Daphne!" Peter simply nods. He looks at Emma with big eyes and now also hides his nose in the scarf. "Oh, don't be shy now!" Emma waves her hand to Peter. Daphne looks at him rather amused. She tries to read the expression in his eyes, curious about what happened on Saturday.

_"Morning!" Emma shouts through the store from the back. "I'll be right there, one sec!" Peter looks around the bakery. It's cute. Halloween decorations cover every corner of the shop, creating a sharp contrast with the pastel design of the bakery. He tightens the straps of his backpack and walks to the display. There's nothing in there that Peter wouldn't want to try out. Everything looks delicious. However, he's in the bakery for a reason. He needs to get some cheesecake. A middle-aged lady walks into the shop from the back. Her salt and pepper hair is pulled back into a bun and she's wearing a checkered apron._

_"Hi," Peter says politely as he plays with his fingers._   
_"You're up early," Emma jokingly remarks. She raises her eyebrows. "Most people your age would still be in bed, enjoying their Saturday off!" Peter shifts his weight from one foot to the other, still scanning the display, trying to find the treat he's looking for._   
_"I'm spending the day with someone I care about and I want to get her something she likes." Emma smiles kindly, immediately shifting into match-maker mode. There's just something so endearing about teens in love._

_Emma assesses the boy- no, young man- in front of her. He has brown, slightly curly hair. His cheeks are a little red from the cold and his brown eyes look at Emma expectantly. He seems sweet. Cute. She's already prepping herself to go to the back again for her special treat batches.  
__"Do you know what she likes?"  
__"I'm pretty sure she'd kill for your raspberry cheesecake." Emma's eyes light up when he says that. She gets many customers that tell her they like her cheesecake, but there's only one person who has told her those exact words._

Daphne.

_Emma revels in how the puzzle pieces are slowly falling together. It all fits: When Daphne bought a muffin for someone special to her and the fact that the boy in front of Emma seems to be Daphne's age. And he asked specifically for Emma's raspberry cheesecake. Daphne's favorite.  
_ _"Let me get you the good stuff." Emma has to hold herself back, or she would be bouncing. She shuffles through the door, on her way to her best batches. "How many slices?" She yells from the back.  
_ _"Two!" Peter shouts back. He thinks for a second and corrects himself. "No, wait. Three, please!"_

_Emma comes back with a brown bag not much later. She rings Peter up and holds the bag out to Peter. Before he can take it from her, she moves her hand back a little, making him grab thin air. He looks at her confused and she cocks an eyebrow at him while pursing her lips._   
_"Take good care of her, 'kay?" Peter freezes. Does she know who he's buying the cheesecake for? He laughs sheepishly and looks down for a second. Of course, he's going to take good care of Daphne. He'd never hurt her. Peter looks back up and nods eagerly._   
_"I will," he says with a smile. She hands him the bag and waves. She grins mischievously as she says something similar to what she said to Daphne when she walked out with the muffins:_   
_"Bring her along next time!"_

"I loved the cheesecake," Peter says truthfully, trying to evade Emma's attempt to get them to talk about their relationship. Emma cocks her head with a smile.  
"But...?" Peter laughs softly at her response. He can't get out of this conversation, so he might as well go all out. He almost feels bad for admitting he's enjoying the embarrassed blush on Daphne's cheeks. Almost. He grins into his scarf.  
"I preferred your blueberry muffin." Daphne elbows him softly, while Emma laughs giddily, confirming her theory as to who Daphne was buying the muffin for.  
"Glad you like my baking, Peter." She bends down to pet her dog's head. It sits upright at her attention and its tail starts wagging again. "Well, I suppose I should leave you two to it?" Daphne presses her lips on top of each other, but manages to force a smile. Peter looks down at his hands, trying to hide even more of his face inside the scarf.

Emma seems like she's Daphne's embarrassing aunt. Whether she's doing this intentionally or not doesn't really matter. It was making both Daphne and Peter feel warm and fuzzy, yet also incredibly awkward.  
"It was lovely to properly meet you." Emma nods at Peter and looks at Daphne. She mouths _I like him_ to Daphne and does a thumbs up. She quickly hides her hand gesture and stands back up straight when Peter looks up at her.  
"It was nice to meet you too!" Peter says politely.  
"Please stop by the bakery together next time!" Daphne chuckles at the invitation.  
"Will do," she says simply. Emma starts walking again and the dog acknowledges both Peter and Daphne before getting up slowly as well. Though, instead of following Emma, it keeps staring at them.

"Come on, Buddy, time for dinner!" The word _dinner_ makes its ears twitch and he turns its head to Emma. It seems to be contemplating something before deciding dinner means more to it than these two random teenagers.  
"Was lovely to see you outside of the bakery for a change." Daphne smiles at Emma and Emma returns it.  
"Likewise!" Emma turns to keep walking, her dog waddling slowly at her side. Both Peter and Daphne sigh deeply and laugh out loud when they realize they both have the same reaction to the situation.

"Sooo..." Daphne mutters, letting the os roll down. She doesn't really know what else to say. But she started talking, so she has to come up with something.  
"Sooo..." Peter repeats softly. They both stare ahead, trying not to look at each other. It's quiet for a little bit. Tension rises. Daphne looks down at her fiddling fingers. He leans his elbows on his knees.  
"What are we, Pete?" Peter's glance shoots her way. His breath hitches in his throat. He frowns and stares at her hands. He knew the matter was going to have to be discussed at some point, but he didn't expect it quite so soon.  
"I don't know," he mumbles quietly. "What do you think we are?" Daphne turns her head to meet his gaze.

"I'm..." She pauses. Her face scrunches up for a second, trying to find the right words. "I'm not sure." Peter looks back forward and nods once.  
"That's okay."  
"Is it?"  
"Yeah." He frowns and locks gazes with her again. "Yeah, it is."  
"Then why are you frowning?"  
"Because I don't-" He pauses and moves back to sit up straight, staring her straight in the eye. "I don't know it either and I've never done anything like this before," he admits. "And I don't know what I'm feeling." She stares at him before reaching out to hold his hand.  
"I don't know what I'm feeling either," she whispers. She leans closer to him. "How about we agree to just... Not know for a while?" She talks softly and Peter gently squeezes her hand.  
"Sounds good to me." A smile flashes across his face. She rests her head on his shoulder contently and he in turn places his cheek on her hair. They close their eyes, enjoying the moment. "Just know that I got you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are... happening. 👀👀👀👀 I hope you enjoyed!


	38. Med Kit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spider-Man pays Daphne another visit.

Peter and Daphne are walking out of Central Park when his phone rings. The melody is cheery and soft. It's cute. Daphne thinks.  
"Ah, that's May," Peter says as he fumbles to get into his pocket to grab his phone. He looks at it and then at Daphne. She raises an eyebrow as the tune carries on.  
"Go on, pick up already!" Daphne encourages him and he slides his finger on the screen to answer the call.  
"Hi, May!" Daphne looks at Peter as May explains something to him. His expression drops. "Can't it wait? I promised Daphne I-" May seems to interrupt Peter and Daphne looks at him questioningly. Peter pushes his hand through his hair and turns to Daphne. He seems reluctant. He covers the phone with his free hand and sighs.

"What's up?" Daphne asks worried.  
"May needs me at the homeless center." Daphne cocks her head, urging him to explain further. "The TV broke and there's a game on tonight." His face scrunches up and Daphne laughs.  
"It's okay, Pete. I'll wait for the call with my dad." The corner of Daphne's mouth curls up. After all the hours he's spent on her the past few days, she couldn't imagine asking him to ignore his aunt now.  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes!" She puts two thumbs up and smiles brightly, trying to hide her nerves about the phone call. Peter chuckles, noticing Daphne's off behavior. Her face is too expressive to conceal what she's going through.

"Really?" Daphne groans and grabs his hand that's holding the phone. She brings it to her ear.  
"Hello?" She says. Peter wants to pull back his hand, but Daphne's glare stops him.  
"Hi, who is this?" a kind voice says on the other side. Daphne gently holds on to Peter's hand. They're standing quite close to each other.  
"Hey, it's Daphne! Sorry for taking up so much of Peter's time!"  
"Oh, Daphne! Don't worry about it, he tends to spend a lot of time on what he likes- or who, I should say in this case!" Daphne chuckles and glances at Peter mischievously. Peter is trying his best to not let Daphne know he can actually hear every word his aunt is saying to her. Which means he has to try and contain the blood rushing to his cheeks.

"I, eh, just stole his phone to let you know that he's on his way."  
"Great! Thank you, Daph!" Daphne smiles to herself. May is definitely the cool aunt. "Oh, by the way, feel free to come join us for dinner on Saturday!" May's directness makes Daphne laugh. She remembers Peter's text about her cooking, but she wouldn't mind learning about her skills – or lack thereof – herself. She'd love to meet May and she'd finally get to see Peter's house. And his room.  
"Ah, thanks! I'll be there!" Daphne says joyfully. "I'm gonna hand the phone back to Peter now!"  
"Alright, see ya Saturday!"  
"Bye!" Daphne lets go of the phone and crosses her arms, shooting Peter a cocky glance. Peter presses his lips on top of each other and brings the phone back to his ear.

Peter finishes the call and puts his phone away with a deep sigh. He frowns at the ground, hiding his hands in his pockets.  
"Guess I gotta go, then..."  
"It's okay, Pete, really." She steps towards him and holds his face with both her hands, making him look up at her. Her thumb ghosts over his cheek and he leans into her touch. "Your aunt needs your help, go be a hero and save the day!" Peter chuckles at the unintended irony and takes out one hand out of his pocket. He caresses her hair, getting his fingers stuck in the knots that formed in the back because of her messy bun.

"Alright," he sighs. His hand goes down her arm until he can grab hold of her hand. "You'll call me when you find out, right?" Daphne snorts.  
"Duh!" She takes a step back and lets go of him. She smiles wide and shoos him. "Now go!" Peter laughs and he turns to walk to the nearest subway station. He walks down the stairs and looks back one more time. She still stands there with the same smile on her face and shoos him again. He jumps down a stair to get a last little bit of height to see her, before he's too far down.

...

Ten o'clock. Spider-Man thwips through the streets of New York. He finished at May's homeless center quite early, but an armed robbery got in the way of him getting to Daphne before she'd get the phone call. It bothers him to the max, but he knows the robbery had priority. He can't not be Spider-Man, as he said before. He's swinging as fast as he can to get to where she lives. When he reaches his destination, he lands on top of the building next to hers. Its roof is on about the same height as her room window is, but he was supposed to get changed into his normal clothes first. Daphne, however, had already spotted Spider-Man. She quickly opens the window and leans on the window pane.

"Back again?" She asks. There's a big grin on her face and Peter smiles to himself. That's not the attitude of someone who just got bad news. He corrects his posture and walks to the edge of the roof.  
"They're talking about you at Avengers Tower." He takes a step off the building, but instead of falling he keeps his feet sticking to the walls. He's now standing up straight, but horizontally, and he has to tilt his head up to look at Daphne. She chuckles. He looks ridiculous like that. Suddenly the weight of what he said dawns on her.  
"Wait, what?"  
"I didn't catch much," he says as he holds his hands up in defense. "Just that you were getting some big news today. Was in the area and I am, uh... Very curious by nature. So, I figured come by and ask." Daphne shakes her head. News travels fast, apparently.

"Wanna come in?" Daphne asks.  
"Second time you asked me to come into your room." Spider-Man cocks his head. "Is this gonna be a habit?"  
"It's not you, it's the fucking cold, man." She opens the window a little further for him and steps aside. "Now get in, or I'm closing it."  
"Comin', comin'," he says quickly. He swiftly jumps from the other building onto the fire escape and makes his way inside.

That's when Daphne spots it.  
"You're bleeding!"  
"Wha-?" Spider-Man looks down at his waist, where the suit seems to be a little redder than it should be. "Ah, man, the robbery." He says it like his mom won't take him to Mac Donalds.  
"Robbery?"  
"Yeah, standard stuff, really. Armed robbery. Must've gotten scraped by a bullet."  
"And you didn't feel it??" Daphne panics and runs into her bathroom to grab a small med kit.  
"Adrenaline," Spider-Man says quickly. Now that he's seen the spot, he's feeling it too. "You get a ton of that when people point guns at you."  
"Shit, man," Daphne puffs as she guides him to the floor and opens the little box.

She grabs the disinfectant, but realizes there's something in the way of her actually treating the wound. She stares at his waist and then up at him. His lenses tighten a little more closed for a second before they shoot wide open and he scrambles to sit upright.  
"I'm not taking off the suit."  
"Well, fuck, Spidey, you're bleeding." Daphne clenches her jaws to keep down her voice, cause her father's in the living room watching TV. Luckily, he always puts the volume up high.  
"Not anymore!"  
"How would you know, you're wearing a suit!"  
"I have super healing, ya know?"  
"Sure, mister hero," Daphne scoffs as she sits back. She crosses her arms and cocks her head at him.  
"For real, though," he tries, but it's not convincing her. He groans. "Karen, activate incognito mode and tell my vitals on speaker."

"Wha-" Daphne gets interrupted by a female computer voice echoing through her room.  
"Spider-Man's vitals indicate minor blood loss from a bullet wound to the side and a light contusion in his right radial bone."  
"How bad's the blood loss?" Spider-Man asks.  
"The wound has already started the healing process. The bleeding ceased eight minutes and twenty-four seconds ago." Spider-Man cocks his head at Daphne and shrugs contently, knowing he was right. Daphne just stares at him, unsure if she's shocked or amazed.  
"You really heal that fast?" she mutters.  
"It only heals like this if I let it."  
"The hell does that mean?" Daphne frowns and shuts the med kit, embarrassed by her attempt to fix someone who obviously doesn't need her help.

"If I get hit on the field, it doesn't heal immediately. I need time and space to speed up the process."  
"So, you can heal yourself consciously?"  
"Only wounds like these." He points at his waist. "But it's exhausting." He then raises his right arm and looks at it. "This one will heal overnight."  
"That's really cool, ya know that?" Daphne can hear Spider-Man scoff softly under his mask. Or was it a chuckle? The urge to rip that stupid mask off his head rises again.  
"It's handy," he says simply. "Can't fight crime if you're constantly broken." Daphne shakes her head, but looks back up at Spider-Man soon after.

A hint of wonder sparkles in her eyes.  
"How did you..." She gestures at him, unsure of how to end her sentence.  
"It's a lame story," Spider-Man says. He must get the question of how he got all those Spider-Powers all the time. "And also one I never really shared, cause y'know... Mad scientists like to attempt to create people like me. Any new angle gives them more reasons to do bad things."  
"Do I look like a mad scientist to you?" She raises her eyebrows and puts her hands on her hips. Spider-Man shakes his head.  
"A radioactive spider bit me. That's all you're getting."  
"Woah! That's so cool!" Daphne leans forward. She pouts her lips, choosing what to ask next. "How much can you lift?" Spider-Man seems taken aback by the question.  
"I've never _really_ tested it, cause the adrenaline can make me lift more than I would normally be able to..." His sentence trails off and he looks away. Thinking. "Karen, what's the heaviest I've ever lifted?" The robotic voice comes from his mask once again.  
"Unfortunately, I do not keep track of the weight of all the things you carry. Based on earlier tests and the logs we've been keeping; I estimate your current capacity at about twenty-five tons." Spider-Man turns his head back to Daphne, who stares at him wide-eyed. _25 tons_

"There you have it."  
"That's fucking nuts," Daphne gasps. "Do you have super speed too?" Spider-Man laughs.  
"No, no super speed." He scratches his head. The floor is slowly starting to become uncomfortable under his butt. "I do have a tingle." He could hit himself in the head for saying it like that. Daphne chuckles.  
"A tingle?"  
"A sixth sense, kind of thing." Daphne frowns at him.  
"Explain."  
"It's like an instinct? It's what keeps me from actually getting hit by bullets. It lets me know when something dangerous is close. Could be a knife before it gets put on my throat or even just the vibes a person radiates." Daphne nods slowly.  
"That's... Actually super cool." It's quiet for a short while. Neither of them really know what to say next. Spider-Man breaks the silence.  
"So, eh... What about the big news you were going to get?"  
"Oh!" Daphne claps. "Long story short I did the enrollment tests for Midtown Tech and well... I'm starting tomorrow!" Peter can't contain himself and shoots upright.  
"Really? That's amazing!" He wants to hug her, but knows Spider-Man wouldn't do that.

"It was a little scary, though, cause I almost didn't get it." Daphne says softly. Spider-Man's eyes squeeze tighter.  
"Oh?"  
"I needed at least 80% on three tests. Scored 86 on science, 81 on calculus, but I had a 79 in physics." Spider-Man gasps quietly. How did she get through then? "Principal Morita asked me a physics question on the spot to give me a last chance to turn the 79 into 80!"  
"Well, what did he ask?"  
"He asked about oscillation!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the people not reading this in one go: oscillation was the first thing Peter explained to Daphne when they studied together (the heart rate monitor thing). I'm exhausted, it's time for bed! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	39. Close Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne tries to get Spider-Man to answer _all_ of her questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YA BOI IS SUPER EXCITED THAT TOM HOLLAND SPIDEY IS BACK IN THE MCU! PLZ ENJOY THE CHAPTERS!

Spider-Man and Daphne have been chatting for a while now. It's already past midnight, but Daphne doesn't want to go to bed just yet.  
"I'm too awake," Daphne complains. Spider-Man's eyes go a little smaller.  
"I can, eh... Stick around a little longer if you want?" Daphne snorts.  
"Did you actually just say that?"  
"What?" Spider-Man laughs and puts his hands up as he shrugs. "I got a theme, I'm trying to sti-"  
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!"  
"-ckkkkkkkk..." The word dies in his throat as Daphne punches him in the arm. It doesn't hurt, but he can't help but rub the spot. They both laugh.

"You're awful," she says as she looks at his suit. The spider logo on his chest shines proudly. "Speaking of sticking..." Her gaze moves to his hands. "How... does it work?" Spider-Man cocks his head and raises his hands.  
"It's honestly super complicated. I don't even understand it all that well myself."  
"But you control it, right?" Spider-Man nods.  
"Yeah." He squeezes his hands into fists and then relaxes them again. "I stick if I want to and I let go when I relax."  
"Wait, so-" Daphne re-positions herself to sit cross-legged. "If you're super stressed you stick to stuff without wanting to?" Spider-Man laughs.  
"I only did at first. I got the hang of it now, but yeah, my first few months as Spider-Man were, eh... Interesting." Daphne reaches out to him.  
"May I?" She asks politely. Spider-Man nods and reaches back.

Time seems to slow down when they open their hands to each other, their fingers pointing to the ceiling. She can feel the fabric of his suit tickling the tips of her fingers. Their palms come together slowly. She notices him activating the stickiness. It feels kind of weird.  
"Me, Tarzan. You, Jane," Spider-Man quips with a distorted voice. Daphne snorts and lets her head fall back.  
"Way to break the moment, Tarzan." She tries to pull back her hand, but it's stuck. She looks at their connected hands, amazed at how it feels. "Woah," she gasps softly. Spider-Man chuckles.  
"So, if I relax my fingers now..." One by one their fingers disconnect. There's no force behind it whatsoever. Their palms are still stuck together.  
"That's so cool," she whispers.

Daphne's eyes are glued to their hands. She can feel the muscles in his palms relax too and without warning their hands are released. She slowly pulls her hand back in and looks at it, rubbing her fingers together. There's a strange residue left behind. She looks back up at Spider-Man.  
"And you can stick with any body part?"  
"Yep." Spider-Man stands up. "It's something that comes out of my skin."  
"Gross."  
"Kinda, yeah."  
"The suit must be disgusting."  
"Stark made it machine washable."  
"Thank fuck." Spider-Man laughs softly and walks to the wall next to the window. He puts his forearm that's not hurt against it. He easily lifts himself, so that he's just hanging from his arm.  
"Ta-da!" He wiggles his jazz hands.

"How do you go against gravity like that?" She comments on him almost being horizontal again.  
"25 tons, remember?" He says shortly as he twists to put his feet on the wall now. His knees point outward and his hands join his feet against the wall. He twists his neck so he can look at her before standing up straight and horizontally again. "I don't weigh all that much to myself." He walks up towards the ceiling until he's hanging upside down, just his feet holding his weight. Daphne gets up and puts her hand on her hips.  
"You must be the jock everyone wants in their team at school, then?" Spider-Man laughs.  
"Nope."  
"Why not?"  
"I'm not telling you about my private life." Daphne groans dramatically.  
"I was _so_ close to getting answers!"  
"You really want to know who I am?"  
"You're not going to tell me, are you?"  
"I can't," he says simply.  
"Why not?" He steps towards her.

Their faces are suddenly very close, but it's a weird situation. She can't feel his body heat because his body is literally above her. His eyes are at the height of her own. Just upside down. Spider-Man sighs.  
"Being a hero... Gets you a lot of enemies." His eyes go a little smaller and he looks away for a second, trying to figure out the right words to say. "Anyone who knows about me ends up on their radar."  
"So it's self-preservation? You don't want anyone to snitch?" Daphne frowns.  
"I don't want anyone to get hurt." He takes a deep breath. "Because of me." Daphne looks down. She doesn't reply. He takes a small step back and raises his hands. "Think of the people you care about in your life." She looks back up at him, seeing her own reflection in his lenses. "If you know that they could die if they know your biggest secret..." He cocks his head slowly. "Would you tell them?" Daphne sighs defeated.  
"No."  
"Exactly."

Peter releases from the ceiling and he twists mid-air, landing on his feet gracefully.  
"So, yeah. Secret." The word bounces in her head like a screensaver. _Secret._ Peter has a secret too. Her thoughts halt for a second.  
"Shit!" She yells. Spider-Man takes a step back.  
"What? What is it?"  
"Peter!" His heart beats fast.  
"What?!" Spider-Man yells back.  
"I was supposed to call him!" Spider-Man freezes, the sudden weight of an identity reveal falling off his shoulders. She still has no clue. His eyes are wide. "Fuuuuuuuck!" She rushes past Spider-Man to grab her phone from the bed. "I need to let him know I passed!" His body doesn't get time to come down from his initial panic. His phone is connected to Karen. Karen is still on speaker mode. If she calls Peter, he's done for.

Spider-Man thwips instinctively, stealing the phone out of her hand with his webs.  
"Hey!"  
"You-" he pants. "-need to calm down." She rushes towards him, trying to get back her phone. He holds her away from him with ease, keeping her phone in his free hand.  
"I promised him I'd call him, give me back my phone!"  
"Take a second to breathe! I'm sure he's not angry with you!" She stomps back and crosses her arms.  
"How would you know?"  
"He's your friend, right?" Spider-Man says. "If he would be angry with you over something as trivial as a phone call, he's not worth your time." It feels super weird to talk about himself like that. But the more he can distance his alter ego from Peter, the better. Daphne groans and sighs.  
"I mean, yes, but I really do need to call him."  
"Alright," Spider-Man says as he nods. "I'm gonna head out then. Don't want to intrude."

Spider-Man steps towards the window and opens it swiftly.  
"Spidey...?"  
"Hmm?" He turns back to her mid-climb out of the window.  
"My phone." He lands on the fire escape.  
"Ah, right! Here you go!" He hands her back her phone. "Sorry," he stutters. "That was a little weird." Daphne scoffs.  
"Spider-Man has been in my room twice now," she says. "That's what's weird." Spider-Man shrugs awkwardly.  
"Can't argue with that." She pulls a face at him and raises her arms to close the window.  
"Well, mister Man..." She chuckles at her own remark and Spider-Man laughs too. "Night!"  
"Night!" He jumps off the fire escape and swings to the other building. He sees her looking for Peter's contact in her phone. "Karen, turn off speaker mode and incognito mode," he says quietly.  
"Done. Welcome back, Peter," Karen says. Daphne puts her phone to her ear and waves one last time to Spider-Man. He waves back. "You have an incoming call from Daphne." He smiles and runs to the other side of the building to jump off and swing home.  
"Answer the call, please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stress! Aah! I hope you enjoyed! ^_^


	40. News Paper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A snippet of Daphne's roller coaster of a first school day and Madame Touha wants to talk to Peter about something that reached the front page of the papers.

Daphne's first day at Midtown Tech went as expected. Lots of questions from her classmates about who she is, where she's from, why she's here. She keeps her answers short. Political even. The less they know, the better. She shares most of her classes with MJ, which is probably for the better. Every time she's in the same class as Peter, she can't really focus on anything but him. Maybe she'll get better on ignoring him over time. She needs to keep her grades up to keep the scholarship, so she can't afford to slack. MJ and Ned were excited to see her again. Apparently, they're the only ones who know about Peter doing ballet and based on how Flash and a few other students treat him, it should stay like that. At least for now.

The final bell rings. Peter walks out of the classroom with Ned, who nudges him.  
"So..." Ned raises his eyebrows at him. He grins mischievously. "Who's gonna be your date for the Halloween party?"  
"Ah, man," Peter groans. "I totally forgot about that."  
"Um, hello-ho" Ned pushes his head forward and shakes his head slightly. "Daphne's like, right around the corner. Ask her!" Peter freezes and stares at Ned.  
"You think she'd say yes?" Ned rolls his eyes, a little irritated at his best friend's denseness.  
"Duh," he pushes out. "She stares at you when you don't look, the way you stare at her when she doesn't look. I'd bet my entire Lego collection on her saying yes." Peter bites the inside of his cheek.  
"Okay, but what if she does say no?"  
"Then I will eat my entire Lego collection."  
"Ned, come on!" Peter whines. "What if she's already going with someone else?"  
"You're kidding me, right? This is her first day here. Ask her!"

"Hey, guys!" MJ and Daphne walk up to them and Peter jolts.  
"H-hi!" He manages to get out.  
"Yo, MJ, I want to show you something that's in my locker and Peter has a very important question for Daphne so we should go now-" Ned says quickly as he pushes MJ away from the group. MJ raises an eyebrow at Peter who shrugs apologetically. Daphne laughs.  
"A very important question, huh?" She cocks her head and smirks. "What's up?" Peter swallows and stares at her wide-eyed. His mouth opens slightly to talk, but his voice is stuck. Daphne chuckles at his sudden shyness. It's cute. He fixes his posture and resets his brain by blinking a few times.  
"Doyouwanttogotothehalloweenpartywithme-" he mutters quickly. She barely caught what he said when Flash suddenly interrupts them.

"Hello there!" He moves to stand next to Daphne and she rolls her eyes.  
"I believe I was having a conversation with someone who's not you, Flash." She smiles passive aggressively at him.  
"Oh, don't worry, babe, I won't take much of your time."  
"Don't call me that." He ignores her and puts his arm around her shoulder. Peter is boiling with rage.  
"I was hoping to accompany you to the Halloween party next week?" He wiggles his eyebrows. "I can get us some top notch matching outfits. I was thinking of me as Dracula and you as-" She interrupts him.  
"Oh, Flash," she scoffs, lifting his arm like it's a gross wet towel so she can step away from him. She moves to Peter and puts her arm around his waist. Peter looks at the hand on his side and then at her. Daphne defiantly looks at Flash with a big toothy grin. "I already have a date." A victorious feeling washes over Peter. 

_Date?_ He smiles wide. _Date!_

His own arm snakes around her back and he places his hand on her shoulder. Flash stares at them wide eyed and scoffs loudly.  
"Next time you won't say no to me," he threatens. Peter can feel Daphne freeze against him. Flash doesn't notice Daphne's sudden change in mood and storms off. Peter looks at Daphne worried.  
"Are you okay?" She stares ahead, at nothing. She shakes her head slowly. Suddenly the weight of what Flash just said and did dawns on Peter. He turns to face her and holds her shoulders with both his hands, trying to get her to look at him. It seems like she stopped breathing. "Flash is nothing like David." She gasps at his name and looks Peter straight in the eye. Her expression aches every part of him. Fear. She doesn't say anything back, she just looks at Peter. "I promise you, Flash is all talk, no action. I'm here, with you, 'kay? I won't let him hurt you." Daphne nods slowly and steps closer so Peter can embrace her. He can feel her shaky breaths against his chest. He softly pets her hair. "I got you."

...

The walk to ballet class was quiet. Daphne had her backpack clutched to her chest again, even though Peter is with her. Flash had really shaken her up. She was quiet during ballet class too. And even after class. To Peter's surprise she wanted to walk home by herself. Did he do something wrong? He asks if she's sure and when she says she is, he accepts her wants and lets her leave.  
"Parker?" Madame Touha calls to him from her office and he turns around. She doesn't sound like she's in a good mood. He walks to the office and she gestures for him to get inside. "Close the door," she says. This must be serious. She's reading a newspaper and looks up at Peter, raising her eyebrows. "What's this?" She throws the newspaper on her desk and Peter swallows when he sees the front page.

_SPIDER-MAN PERFORMS JUMP COMMON IN CLASSICAL BALLET TO DODGE SEVERAL BULLETS DURING ARMED ROBBERY._

Peter laughs nervously.  
"Must be slow news season if that makes the front page."  
"Have you actually read the article?" Peter clenches his jaw and picks up the newspaper, his eyes glide over the letters. It's about Spider-Man's sudden change in how he carries himself and the fact that he started incorporating classical dance moves since September. He swallows. He didn't expect anyone to really notice, but apparently his die-hard fans caught on really quickly. He glances up at Madame Touha.  
"Ha, isn't that a coincidence," he tries.  
"Why are you here, Peter?" She leans forward on her desk. "Why do you want to learn ballet?" He tightens his muscles, wrinkling the newspaper slightly.

"Because my mo-"  
"Cut the bullshit, Peter." She stands up and grabs the newspaper from his hand. She points at the picture of your friendly neighborhood superhero. "Is my school teaching Spider-Man ballet?"  
"I-"  
"Yes or no, Peter." Peter looks down and frowns. There's no way he can get out of this now, but he really doesn't want to answer. Madame Touha repeats herself slowly, emphasizing every word. "Yes or no." Peter licks his lips and looks back up at the head of the ballet school.  
"Please, don't tell anyone," he whispers. Tears of frustration prick at the back of his eyes. He should have been more careful.  
"I'm not going to," Madame Touha says sincerely. "I just don't like liars." She walks around the desk to stand across from Peter. "I knew you were lying from day one. Figured the truth would come out one way or another. I just didn't expect this truth." Peter stays quiet and keeps looking down. He doesn't want to meet Madame Touha's piercing gaze. 

"Does Daphne know?" He shakes his head aggressively. It's times like these where he realizes he's still a kid and it frustrates him. "Good. Keep it that way." Madame Touha walks back to her desk and sits down in her chair, sighing deeply. He carefully looks up.  
"Do I have to quit the classes?" His voice cracks and Madame Touha's eyebrows raise into her receding hairline.  
"Quit? Oh, no, Daphne really needs you for the pas de deux." She smirks at Peter and he allows himself to breathe again. "And I've had three young boys apply to the school in the past few days. All cause Spider-Man does ballet." Madame Touha holds up the three application forms. "You showing off your ballet skills during your fights has been the greatest PR I've ever had. Other schools have also reported on more boys applying than usual."  
"So I can stay?" He fiddles with his fingers.  
"Please!" She nearly begs. "Just no more lies." Peter takes a deep breath and repeats her words.  
"No more lies!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for tonight! I hope you liked it!


	41. Video Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne and Peter have video call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst and fluff, yay!

_Dove:_ _  
Hey._

Peter stares at Daphne's message for a second. It's 2 AM. After ballet class and the conversation with Madame Touha he decided to blow off some steam on patrol and he just got out of the shower. His fingers fly over the letters. His hair is still dripping and his towel is wrapped tightly around his waist.

_Peter:_ _  
You're up late._

It doesn't take long for her to reply.

_Dove:_ _  
Figured you'd be asleep already._

Peter starts typing, but deletes his message quickly. _Crime never sleeps_ is not something he should send her. Yet. She also doesn't seem to be in the mood for jokes. He tries to keep it light.

_Peter:_ _  
Spiraled down the weird side of YouTube again._

_Dove:_ _  
Aha._

Great. The conversation's dead now. Peter doesn't want to give up, though. He's worried about her.

_Peter:_ _  
You okay?_

This time she doesn't reply right away. He quickly puts on his boxers and pyjamas before jumping into bed. She's typing when he unlocks his phone again. He waits patiently for her reply.

_Dove:_ _  
I'm scared._

_Peter:_ _  
Do you want me to come over?_

_Dove:_ _  
No._

Peter groans and turns around in his bed. He hates feeling helpless.

_Peter:_ _  
Is there anything I can do to help?_

It's quiet again for a little bit, but she's typing. Probably trying to figure out what to say.

_Dove:_ _  
Can we video chat?_

Peter doesn't even type a reply anymore. He immediately hits the video camera icon, initiating a call. She doesn't take long to pick up. Her hair is all over the place and she's exactly where he is: in bed. Half her face is hidden in her pillow and the bed light illuminates the dried tears on her face.  
"Hey," she says softly. Her voice doesn't really work properly.  
"Hey, dove," Peter re-positions himself so she can see him better. She, however, looks away from the screen.

"I'm sorry," she mutters.  
"It's okay," he reassures her. "A lot has happened. There's only so much a person can take." She sniffs and he can see her eyes water. She only nods, but at least she's looking at him again. They stay quiet for a little bit, just staring at each other through the screen. He wishes he was holding her right now. She wishes the same. Daphne swallows and takes a deep breath. She wipes away the tears from her eyes with her free hand before they can roll down her cheeks.  
"I feel like he's gonna come back," she whispers after a little bit. He won't say his name again, but he knows who she's talking about.  
"He's got a restraining order. If he takes one step towards you, I will personally throw him in jail."

"I don't want him to come back." He can barely hear her speak. "I feel disgusting."  
"What? Why?"  
"Somehow I..." Her face contorts and she hides herself completely in her pillow, before gasping for air from holding it too long.  
"Daph?"  
"I keep thinking about-" She starts to pant, the tears are back, but this time she can't wipe them away before they start streaming down her face. "-about how I should've let Loki kill him." Her voice goes up in pitch at the end of the sentence.

"Hey, hey," he says calmly. "Look at me." He imagines she can't actually see him all that well with the tears making her sight blurred, but he needs her to look at him anyways. "Breathe with me." Peter takes slow deep breaths in and out, nodding slowly as Daphne follows his lead. Her chest shocks at first, trying to hyperventilate in reflex, but he can see her powering through the aches in her chest.

Peter tries to look as neutral as possible for her comfort.

After a short while, she calms down a little. She's still tense, he can tell, but at least she's not breathing quickly anymore.  
"You're not disgusting, Daph." She doesn't reply, she just stares at him. "He made your life hell, it's only natural to think this kind of stuff. But-" he adds quickly. "if you have the power to save someone, but you don't on purpose... How would that make you feel?" Daphne looks down and bites her lip. Peter blinks a few times before continuing, trying to keep his own breathing in check. "It would eat at you. It's a guilt you carry with you for the rest of your life."

Peter tries to repress the memories that are flooding back to him. He very much does not like thinking about his uncle and what happened because of Peter's deliberate ignorance. His own breath becomes shaky for a second and he can tell Daphne notices.  
"Are you okay?" she asks softly. Peter nods quickly.  
"Yeah, yeah, it's just... I need you to know that you made the right choice." He stares directly at her with a frown. They are quiet again; both processing their thoughts. She sniffs and wipes her cheeks again. This time she uses her blankets. When she lifts it, he sees she has his hoodie in bed with her. He decides not to comment on it.

"Thanks, Pete," she whispers.  
"S'okay," he says simply.  
"No really, thank you," she says a little louder. "With everything that's happened to me the past few weeks there has always only been one thing that was constant." She flutters her eyes in her pause and breathes deeply. "You." The corners of his mouth curl up shortly and his chest warms. She puts up a crooked smile. "I honestly can't remember what my life was like without you in it." She turns to lay on her back, leaving her phone in her hand at her side. She stares up at the ceiling and scoffs. "And it's only been two months." Peter laughs softly.  
"I know exactly how you feel," he replies.

Daphne turns her head to face him again and presses her lips on top of each other in a half smile. It immediately falls off her face again, though.  
"We should probably go sleep."  
"Maybe," he says. "Or we could get our minds off things by discussing our outfits for the Halloween party." Daphne sniffs again and chuckles.  
"Got anything in mind?" She switches to her other side, taking Peter with her as she turns. She curls up and brings her face closer to the screen.  
"Not really," Peter admits. "I honestly forgot the Halloween party was a thing until Ned brought it up today."  
"Fair enough," she nods and represses a yawn, fighting the exhaustion, so she can spend a little more time with Peter.

"Wanna do something stereotypical?" Peter's not exactly creative enough to come up with anything fun on the spot and standard costumes are easy to get by.  
"Nah," Daphne says with a soft scoff. "Let's do something original."  
"Like...?" Peter raises his eyebrows. Daphne closes her eyes and frowns as she thinks.  
"Dunno yet," she sighs softly. She wiggles a little to get more comfortable. Suddenly she laughs. "How funny would it be if you wore a cheap ass Iron Man outfit." Peter snorts at the thought. Mr. Stark would definitely make fun of him. Or he'd put a picture of Peter in that outfit on his fridge. Maybe both.  
"Aren't super hero costumes like, super stereotypical?"  
"True, true," she sighs contently.

Peter smiles when the phone slowly starts angling away from her face. Daphne's falling asleep. She licks her lips before she speaks again:  
"You'd be a great Spidey, though..." Her voice trails off. Peter freezes for a second and glances at his Spider-Man suit that he hung back in his wardrobe. It would probably be the worst idea, but he also kind of liked it. But no, he shouldn't. They shouldn't. That would be too much of a risk. He scoffs softly and smiles as he looks up at the ceiling and then back at his screen.

Daphne's breathing has become steady and slow and whatever he can still see of her face, now that her phone is only being held up by relaxed fingers, is completely serene. All the tension she showed before is gone. Her mouth is slightly opened and her cheeks are rosy. Her words echo in his head.

_You'd be a great Spidey, though..._

Peter chuckles quietly.  
"You have no idea," he mumbles. Her lack of response proves that she has indeed fallen asleep and he readjusts himself, pulling his blankets over his shoulders. "Night, dove," he says softly before he ends the call. He puts his phone under his pillow and closes his own eyes. The sooner he falls asleep, the sooner he gets to see her again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all I got for today! Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it!


	42. Balance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Daphne have their first pas de deux class!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been re-reading part of this fic (earlier chapters) and I realized some little parts got cut here and there when I copied it from Word to the HTML thingy, but I hadn't noticed it in proof reading. It's only minor stuff, no big plot details, but I did fix them! I'm incredibly sorry if they bothered you and will keep an eye out for AO3 eating some of my fic again, aha!

The next day, Peter found out that Daphne has pointe classes on Wednesdays and usually sticks around until very late to practice technique. This explains why she was out so late the first time he swooped in as Spider-Man to save her from David. He also realized he's never actually seen her dance en pointe. They wear regular canvas shoes during their classes together and when she trained Peter, she didn't even bother bringing them. Tomorrow's going to be different, though. She needs to wear her pointes for the pas de deux classes. Peter is weirdly excited for this. The classes somehow feel like a next step for them together.

Patrol went by smoothly that evening. Just the regular stuff. Stopping petty theft, breaking up a gang fight, nothing out of the ordinary. School on Thursday seemed to take forever though. The classes were slow, the questions were easy and he just wanted to dance. With her. He was practically bouncing when the final bell rang and when he met up with Daphne, they both made their way to the dance hall. They're early, as usual. Madame Touha wasn't there yet. They warmed up with a few exercises to get ahead of the game and suddenly, Daphne grabbed her pointe shoes.

Peter stares at the torture devices that Daphne is going to put on her feet. They look hard. Painful, even. She wraps a few of her toes in medical tape and she has some special silicone thing to put between her big toe and the others. Peter can't take his eyes off of her. It's like he's watching a sacred ritual. She carefully places a fabric toepad over her feet and tugs it tightly before finally putting the shoe on her foot. She wraps the ribbons around her ankle. He frowns.  
"Don't the ribbons go up further?" Daphne is snapped out of her own trance by his words. She collects her thoughts quickly, realizing what he asked.  
"Nah, that's what the media want you to think," she laughs. She shows him where the ribbons would go if she wore them how he thought she would. "They'd fall down my legs the moment I would stand up."  
"Huh," Peter says as he cocks his head. Daphne chuckles.

This curious scientist side of him is cute. He's not just staring at her, he's studying her. Her movements. All the steps she has to go through to put on her pointes. She ties the ribbon around her ankle and tucks it into itself. She moves on to her other foot and not much later she's standing in them. She does a few pliés and rolls up and down her pointes. She's completely focused on her movements, getting accustomed to the tight shoes and the shift in balance. Peter can't look away from her. He already knew she's the most beautiful dancer he's ever seen, but the way the pointe shoes extend the lines of her legs is just... Just...  
"Ah, Daphne, Peter!" Peter snaps out of it and looks at the door. Madame Touha stands with her hands on her hips and a smug grin on her face. "Looks like you're ready to get started!"

Peter gets up and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. He picks at the leotard that Mr. Stark made for him. The regulators Mr. Stark installed into the fabric seem to work perfectly. There shouldn't be an issue with them touching each other. However, Peter's quite nervous about another thing that has to do with being Spider-Man.

He's unsure what parts of his strength he's going to have to restrain for the pas de deux. Daphne weighs nothing to him, as does pretty much every mundane thing since he got bitten. But having to lift and catch and push and pull while using little to no force and at the same time making it look like it does take a lot of effort: that's hard. He's also never had any classes from Madame Touha, so he has no idea what her teaching style is. The only time they spent together in a dance hall was when she was assessing his progress not too long ago.

And then there's the part where Madame Touha knows about him. About who he is, what he's capable of. He is Spider-Man, after all, and she found out by merely doing the math based on one news paper article. He knows she had his suspicions as to why he was there, but Madame Touha ended up being a lot more insightful than he initially thought. He hopes with every cell in his body that she'll go easy on him. Or at least help him keep this a secret from Daphne. So far, he's been terrible at hiding his secret from her, but at least she hasn't caught on yet.

_Yet..._

He really wants her to know. So badly. It would make everything so much easier. But he also knows it's incredibly dangerous. Maybe he shouldn't visit her as Spider-Man for a while. Or ever again, really. Peter's brought back to the present by Madame Touha, who clears her throat. He stands next to Daphne, on her left side, and their shoulders brush against each other.

"Alright, the most important thing about the pas de deux is trust," Madame Touha says with a nod. She looks both of them in the eye before continuing. "If you don't trust each other, this won't work."  
"That won't be an issue, Madame." Daphne smiles bright. "I trust him." Madame Touha turns to Peter with her eyebrows raised.  
"And I trust her," he adds.  
"Good." She shoots him a knowing glance and he takes a breath and holds it. "Let's discuss the Christmas performance first." Daphne nods.  
"Please," she says. "I've heard rumors that the setup is going to be different? That the board will be there?"

"From what I've been told, it's going to be nothing but a performance. So, it's not an extra assessment halfway through the year." She pauses and raises her eyebrows. "Officially," Madame Touha adds. She continues: "Every art student on the list will show off their skills and what they've learned so far."  
"But the board will definitely be there?" Daphne asks.  
"Yes." Madame Touha shifts her weight to stand up straight. "Which means you have the perfect opportunity to show off and leave an impression." Daphne smiles brightly and excitedly turns to Peter.  
"Let's do this!"

Madame Touha connects her phone to the stereo system and puts on some piano music in the background.  
"The second most important thing about a pas de deux is balance. So, why don't we start with that." She moves to Peter. "Peter, fifth." He immediately follows her command and stands in fifth position. "Left arm in second position and present your right hand to Daphne." It sounds a little vague, but he does as she says. "Don't stretch out your arm." He bends it slightly. Madame Touha turns to Daphne. "And now you're going to do an arabesque on your left and balance yourself by holding his hand with your right one. Place your left hand on his shoulder. Keep your upper body turned forward."

Daphne does as she's told and grabs onto Peter's hand when she goes up en pointe. He didn't put on enough pressure to keep his hand up with her weight, which makes his hand drop a little more than he was hoping for. Daphne loses her balance and falls off pointe.  
"Ee!" He catches her quickly.  
"Ah, sorry!" he yelps. "I got you!"  
"It's okay, I'm fine," Daphne collects herself quickly and stands up straight. She looks him in the eye and nods. "Again?"  
"Again," he replies as he gets back into position.

Daphne goes back en pointe and does the arabesque. This time he knows what to expect and holds his hand still when she grabs onto him.  
"Good, good, make it an attitude derrière." Madame Touha crosses her arms. Daphne slightly bends the leg that she's holding up. Peter notices her supporting leg is twitching slightly. She's working hard to keep her leg up and keep her balance right. "Peter, don't lose your posture." He quickly straightens his back. Madame Touha takes a step back and smiles. "How does it feel?"  
"Good," Daphne breathes. "Strangely good."  
"Peter, do you think you're secure enough for a promenade?" Peter swallows. That's already a big step forward from what they're doing now.  
"Only if Daphne's up for it." Daphne smiles at him.  
"Go for it."

"Alright, Peter, when you walk around her, make sure you're always the exact same distance from her. If she has to move her arm to be able to hold onto your hand, she'll lose her balance." Peter nods. "Keep your back straight and don't lose eye contact with her. It's incredibly important that she can tell you how she's doing without using words. That's what the eye contact's for." Madame Touha puts her hands on her hips. Peter stares intently into Daphne's eyes. "At least for now. Partnering will become easier over time and you won't need eye contact as much. But for now, don't look away. Feel what she's thinking and doing. You have to be in tune with her for a pas de deux to work as much as she needs to be in tune with you."  
"Yes, Madame," he mumbles. 

Peter takes small steps, walking in a big circle around Daphne, never unlocking their connected gazes. He can feel her heartbeat, fast but steady, in her chest. Her breathing is controlled. Her expression is focused. They're in this together. Daphne turns with him as he walks around her, still on one leg. Her attitude is lowering slightly from holding it up so long. He can hear Madame Touha correcting her in the distance, but he's not paying attention to Madame Touha. His tunnel vision not giving him the space to focus on anything other than Daphne and her well-being through the promenade.

"Beautiful," Madame Touha says contently when Peter and Daphne finish a full circle. They snap out of it and look at her. Daphne steps down from her shoe, but forgets to let go of Peter's hand. He smiles at her and his thumb rubs slow circles on her hand. Madame Touha walks to her phone and turns off the music. "I want to quickly discuss the variations you'll be doing for the performance," Madame Touha says. Daphne moves forward and lets go of Peter's hand. He reluctantly complies and takes a step to the side, bringing his hands together so he can fiddle with his fingers.

"Did you have anything in mind?" Daphne asks.  
"Well, for the solo you're doing Coppelia's Swanilda." Daphne frowns at that.  
"Swanilda?"  
"From what I've heard so far, all the other classical dancers will be doing variations from the Sleeping Beauty. We can surprise the board with something a little different than another Aurora," Madame Touha explains. Daphne had previously told Peter that Aurora is the most technically difficult role for a prima ballerina. Even experienced principles fear this role. This does mean that if the other dancers would ace their Aurora performances, their scores would be very high. Not that scores are involved for this performance, but the board will be there. They will remember who stands out.

However, Peter did also read an article about how judges are fed up with Aurora variations in their competitions, so doing something completely different will definitely catch their attention. Madame Touha continues:  
"You rose to the 19th spot on the list because of your flawless leaps in your Paquita variation last year. This year they will want to see something different. They rarely see you turn, so Swanilda is a great way to show how much you've improved in your turning, while also still being able to show off your trademark perfect grand jeté."  
"Perfect." Daphne repeats the word with a scoff. Peter's unsure if she meant it in a sarcastic way towards the situation or that she doesn't think she has a good grand jeté.  
"Daph, you know your strengths, but you need to let everyone know that you can turn too." Daphne puts her hands up defensively.

"I know, I know..." She then laughs softly. "All of this is just super nerve-wrecking. Thanks for not giving me an Aurora variation."  
"You're not ready for that," Madame Touha says bluntly. "But neither are those other girls, so you've got the advantage!" Daphne nods.  
"And the pas de deux?" She shoots a glance at Peter when she says that.  
"That one took me a while to figure out," Madame Touha admits. "I want you to do a pas de deux you're passionate about. Your first one will always be important to you. However, I also needed to keep Peter's skill level in mind." Peter sighs gratefully. Hopefully it's not too technical.

Madame Touha's smile turns into a grin.  
"I'm pretty sure you'll like what I picked for you two, Daph." She hits the play button on her phone and a harp starts playing. Daphne immediately jumps in ecstasy.  
"What?! For real?" She nearly yells. Peter recognizes the music, but it's definitely a ballet he hasn't seen yet.  
"If you want to, then yes," Madame Touha says proudly. The strings kick in and then Peter realizes it's Daphne's favourite pas de deux in classical ballet. She's talked about it in great detail to him, the passion seeping off every word she uttered. The way she spoke about it made Peter want to watch it with her, not by himself, so he still hasn't seen it. He almost experienced the performance just based on how she explained it to him. She called it a masterpiece of grace. Exquisite, delicate and tooth-achingly sweet. The Sugar Plum Fairy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe a little bit of a weird time to post, but I started this chapter yesterday and couldn't finish before falling asleep, so I wanted to finish it first thing today! I tried to make the ballet terms as easy to follow as possible for the readers who don't know as much about ballet, so I hope you were able to envision what they're doing. You can also copy the link to the video. If you skip to 2:13 you'll see pretty much exactly what Peter and Daphne did in this chapter (the only difference is that Peter stood still in fifth, not in tendu).
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOyxI9_Cy2g
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! ^_^


	43. Girl Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner at Parker's on Saturday. Peter's not there yet, so May and Daphne have a conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter's little shorter today! Daily updates are hard to keep up with, with life happening at the same time.

Daphne didn't expect to be nervous to meet Peter's aunt that Saturday. Yet, here she is. In front of Peter's apartment. Frozen in place. With her stomach doing flips and her heart beating fast and loud. She quickly pushes her hand through her hair, roughing it up a little to create more volume. She unzips her coat and straightens the blouse she's wearing underneath. She's embarrassed to admit she spent an hour in front of her closet, unsure of what to wear.

After putting on eight different outfits she asked her father for advice and he just said to wear that one blouse because he likes the pattern on it. The irony of it made Daphne laugh, as it's navy blue with little, white doves repeated on it. She also hit herself in the head for not coming up with it herself. She's also wearing light brown trousers and her trusty knee-high boots. She takes a breath, closing her eyes for a second, and knocks on the door. She doesn't have to wait long for it to open.

"Daphne!" A kind looking woman smiles brightly at her. She must be May. She looks younger than Peter said she is. Her long, brown hair falls over her shoulder. She's wearing a tank top and tight jeans with a broad belt. Her eyes sparkle with genuine excitement and she steps away from the door to let Daphne in. "It's so good to finally meet you!"  
"Likewise, Mrs. Parker," Daphne says politely. She smiles and nods as she steps into the apartment. May immediately waves her hand dismissively.  
"Please, no ma'ams or Mrs. Call me May." Daphne lets out a nervous breath.

She's not entirely sure if she should. She still calls Tony Mr. Stark and Bruce Dr. Banner. It'd be rude to just call her May. Before Daphne can reply, May continues talking. "Let me phrase it like this: if you call me Mrs. Parker deliberately I can and will throw you out the window." Daphne snorts and shrugs, her smile still on her face.  
"Alright, then." She straightens her back. "_May_-" she emphasizes May's name. "Thank you so much for the invitation. I'm very excited to be here." Maybe a little too excited. Her nerves are still bouncing around in her body, but May seems to be everything Peter told her about his aunt.

May closes the door and makes her way to the kitchen. Daphne follows right behind her.  
"Peter's told me so much about you!" May turns back to talk to Daphne. Daphne blushes a deep red and has to remind herself to breathe. She shouldn't be surprised he talks about her. But somehow, it's still so disarming.  
"Likewise!" Daphne blurts out. That's the second time she's said that in five minutes. _Get it together, Daph._ "As in, he talks a lot about you too," she quickly adds, slightly embarrassed. She leans against the counter as May grabs two glasses and fills them with water. "He loves you a lot."

May looks up from what she's doing. She didn't expect that. She knows Peter loves her, but he has never really shared that vocally with friends. Her attention turns back to the glasses and she tries to make light of it.  
"If he loves me as much as you say he does, I'm sure I can ask him to start doing his own laundry from now on." They both laugh.  
"Wait, he doesn't do his own laundry?"  
"He doesn't take the time to properly separate the colors." May hands Daphne her glass of water and chuckles, recollecting a memory. "Last time he tried to wash his-" she stops herself with raised eyebrows. 

May completely forgot to ask Peter if Daphne knows his secret by now. She takes a sip of the water, trying to make her pause seem a little more natural. Even though it happened at an absolute horrible and unnatural moment in the sentence. She swallows and continues as if nothing happened, hoping Daphne didn't catch on. "-stuff, he turned all his sheets pink. Even some of his, eh, other clothes."  
"Wait, so his pink hoodie...?"  
"Used to be white." May finishes Daphne's sentence. They both burst out laughing again.  
"Pink suits him, though," Daphne says as she remembers the soft pink hoodie she's seen him wear before. She figured it was a statement, rather than a blunder, but it makes it all the more endearing. She sucks at her teeth. She'd love to see him wear that hoodie again. Maybe steal that one too.

"It does, yeah," May laughs. Daphne finally asks the question May hoped she wouldn't have to answer.  
"Is Peter not in yet?"  
"No," May replies quickly. "He's, uh... Running some errands for Tony."  
"Oh, that's okay!" Daphne nods and smiles. "I could help you cook if you want?" May's heart drops, knowing that both she and Peter are lying to such a sweet girl. May realizes how tough this must be on Peter too. Knowing him, he's probably bursting to tell her whenever he's with her. May makes a mental note to keep track of how many times Peter accidentally slips around Daphne and says something suspicious. He always blurts things out when he's comfortable and if he spends as much time with Daphne as he says he does, then he must definitely be comfortable around her.

"Oh, no, no! You're my guest!" May places her glass on the counter and brings her hands together apologetically. "Besides, I'm getting takeout." Daphne cocks her head, amused. "I'm a horrible cook."  
"Food is food!" Daphne exclaims, trying to cheer May up. Being so self-conscious about your own cooking mustn't be fun.  
"I try," she says jokingly.  
"Next time I come over; we'll cook something together."  
"You know how to cook?"  
"Dad can't cook. Mom's not in the picture, so I taught myself some basic stuff."

"Oh, Daph, I'm sorry-"  
"It's okay, don't worry about it," Daphne interrupts with a smile. "I have zero memories of my mom. Peter's situation is a whole lot worse than mine. He was actually aware of everything happening."  
"That doesn't devalue your experience," May says with a frown. She places a hand on Daphne's shoulder. Daphne shrugs lightly.  
"I know. Guess it's just different?" She poses it as a question and May nods.  
"Different's the right word, Daph. Can't compare the two, so it's better to just not do it at all."

Daphne _really_ likes aunt May. Sweet, caring, but also down to earth and strong. Daphne's fairly certain she's going to be spending a lot more time with her.   
"Alright, so I'm gonna go get us something to eat. Whadaya fancying?" Daphne thinks for a second, pursing her lips before answering May's question:  
"Italian?"  
"Bolognese?"  
"Lasagna?"  
"Lasagna!" May points at Daphne as she walks backwards out of the kitchen. She grabs her coat and puts on her heeled boots. "Think I can leave you for half an hour without tearing apart my apartment?"  
"I'll behave," Daphne says with a grin. May laughs as she opens the door and makes her way out.  
"Be right back!"

Little did they know that a certain wall-crawler was already making his way to his bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daphne? Alone in the Parker apartment while Peter is almost done with his patrol as Spider-Man? What could possibly go wrong? 👀👀👀👀


	44. Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki is troubled by an unsettling vision. He seeks out the sorceress Ravir, hoping she can tell him about the man he saw.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SIKE! No reveal just yet! However, I will treat you with some tasty plot! ^_^

Loki paces through the halls of the castle. Has been for a couple of days now. Something doesn't sit right with him. And that's just a mild way of putting it. A few days ago, he had this strange vision and ever since he's been feeling incredibly uneasy. About everything. About _her_. He can't go back to Midgard now, he promised her he'd only visit her once a month. He wants her to trust him. He cares too much for her to lie and stalk her. Yes, Heimdall may or may not have been giving him regular updates on her well-being, but he's not actually there with her.

Loki's study is filled to the brim with books he brought from the library. All of them are useless to aid him in figuring out what exactly he saw. There were only two people he could see clearly. Daphne was one of them. He saw her as if he was right there with her and he swore he could touch her, had he tried. She wore a dress made of the softest white silks and chiffon, and her back was exposed. The scar covering her skin lit up. Her hair was braided into a loose up-do. She looked like a Goddess.

The other one was a man. Undoubtedly a strong sorcerer. Brown tousled hair to his shoulders. His irises were dark, if not completely black. His features were slim and sharp. Loki would almost call him elegant, were it not for the incredibly rough and sinister magic he emitted. He was the one making Loki so restless. What connection does he have with Daphne? Why did he dream of them? Together?

Unfortunately, not even Freya was able to make sense of Loki's vision. That made him all the more uncomfortable. How is he supposed to protect Daphne if he couldn't figure out a mere vision? There is only one thing he can think of to do now. Go back to the sorceress that initiated all of this madness. Ravir.

...

Loki's boots sink into the deep mud with every step he takes. It's disgusting, but he can't let a little bit of dirt stop him. He has to know what's going on. He has to know the threat looming over Daphne. He _has_ to know. For her. He thinks it's laughable how much he cares for her. Something just... Snapped in him when he saw Daphne in the Avengers Tower. If anything were to happen to her, he would kill the one responsible. Then he'd study necromancy to bring them back from the dead, only so he could kill them again. And again. And again. And-

Loki spots Ravir's small hut, hidden among the trees and plants of the dark forest. It looks like it's falling apart, being reclaimed by nature. He powers through the mud and gently takes the piece of cloth that serves as a door in his hand. He pushes it aside and steps into a space much larger than what it looked like on the outside. It's also the exact opposite of what one would expect it to be. It's like a palace; everything is made of gold. He's blinded by how bright it is. The light's reflection on the metal makes him squint.

"Ah, Loki." Ravir's deep and seductive voice surrounds him suddenly. "I've been expecting you." Loki simply nods as he cleans his boots with one swipe of his hand. He reminds himself of her one rule. _Do not touch her. She may only touch you._ He starts making his way through the long golden hall. There are columns reaching so high they fade into nothingness against the white light from above. At the end of the hall stands a golden chaise longue draped with the finest silks and furs. Next to it is a low table with a bowl, filled to the brim with fresh fruits from all over the universe. Loki recognizes some, but not all of them.

"I would like to speak with you face to face, Ravir." Loki frowns. "It's urgent. Important."  
"Important to you, perhaps," the voice speaks. She sounds amused. Loki takes a breath.  
"It's no laughing matter, I am worried for the one I saved." The room shifts, suddenly feeling very different from how it did before. A thick, golden mist covers the floor and turns into a shape. It dances around him. He has her full attention now. She knows who he's talking about.  
"The Midgardian child?"  
"Yes."  
"Tell me about her first." It's an odd request. One Loki isn't sure is even relevant. He wants his vision explained and he most certainly doesn't want any magic wielder to know what Daphne is. What he turned her into by accident.

"She is in danger," he says to the point. "A few days ago, I woke up from a worrying vision."  
"Oh?" She replies, curious.  
"Can you help me identify what I saw?"  
"For a price, yes."  
"Name it," he breathes. The shape in the mist floats to his left side and inches closer.  
"Knowledge," she whispers in his ear.  
"What kind?" He stays vigilant and eyes the shape without turning his head.  
"She's not human, Loki. Not since you saved her."  
"She's still very human." Loki doesn't sound convinced himself.

The mist starts solidifying. The shape turns into a beautiful woman. Her skin is soft, but looks like it's made of solid gold, just like the hall. Her golden hair is braided into dreadlocks and reaches down to her lower back. She is naked, save for all the golden jewelry covering her hair and body. With every move she makes, gold dust falls off her shoulders.

Her warm hands caress his cheeks, but he does not give in. He can't slap her hand away, nor can he lean into her touch. He has to let it happen.  
"What knowledge do you want, Ravir?" She moves her face towards his. Her nose tickles his skin.  
"I cannot see her," she mumbles. "She carries a magic that protects her from being seen by people like me." Her hands ghost to his chest. "This means she has changed. She is no longer what she was at birth." She presses her nude body against his.

Loki is rather surprised that her purrs and physical attention are not doing anything for him. Not right now, at least. He has priorities.  
"What is she, Loki?" She lets her golden tongue run over his jawline. "Tell me and I will give you the answer you seek." Loki closes his eyes. He's really just... Not affected by her teasing. Instead of fighting the urge to touch her, he's fighting his rational side inside his head. He needs to know what's going to happen, but he shouldn't tell Ravir about Daphne. He really shouldn't. But he has to know.  
"Promise me you won't use her." He slowly opens his eyes to be met with her sparkling ones. There's an intrigued glimmer in them. She knows.  
"Zephyr," she whispers excitedly. "You made her a Zephyr?" Loki presses his lips on top of each other. Regret seeps through his voice.  
"Yes."

Ravir lets go of Loki and floats away from him, the gold dust that falls off her shoulders makes it seem like she's wearing a cape.  
"There hasn't been a Zephyr in over 700 years."  
"I didn't mean for this to happen to her." Ravir turns back to Loki and sits down on the chaise longue.  
"And that is exactly why it happened." She places a leg on the chaise longue and leans back. "One can never create a Zephyr knowingly. That's why they are so rare." She turns to lazily lie on her belly and flicks her wrist, inviting Loki to come closer. He follows her command, but stops at her side, staying a safe distance from her.

"And my vision?" Loki asks. Ravir pushes herself up and blows some of her dust from her open palm towards Loki. He stands still, letting the magic envelope his head. He breathes in some of the dust and allows his mind to wander to the memories he has of his vision. Ravir makes a discontent noise. It's something he's never heard her do before. This makes it even more concerning.  
"The sorcerer you saw, goes by the name of Somm. Don't be fooled by his appearance. He is older than most," Ravir says as she grabs a small berry from the bowl of fruit. She lays on her back and feeds it to herself by extending her arm dramatically and letting it fall into her opened mouth. "You are right to fear for the child." Loki takes a small step forward.

"Why? Please, tell me," he pleads. He hates begging, but does it anyways. He _has_ to know.  
"He uses people. He once used me." She slowly lets her head rest on the back of the chaise. "And he collects Zephyrs." Loki's stomach turns into an endless pit.  
"Does he know she exists?" She stares blankly ahead for a second. Her eyes light up and when she snaps back to the present, she looks at Loki.  
"To my knowledge, he is unaware." She stands up and swings her hips as she walks towards Loki. Her hand glides up and down his arm as she passes him. "I don't usually pick sides, Loki. But this sorcerer does things even I do not agree with."  
"Can I kill him?"  
"Unlikely." Loki looks at his feet.

Loki's mind is racing and he bites the inside of his cheek.  
"What does he do to the Zephyrs he... Collects?"  
"I don't think you want to know." She sounds sad. Disgusted even. She dropped her seductive facade and seems genuinely concerned. This is a completely different side of her that she never shows. Somm must be really be horrible if he can break her like that. Loki looks up at her defiantly.  
"I do." Loki has never seen her beautiful face contort the way it did now. She turns away from him and her shoulders droop. A gust of golden dust falls on the floor.  
"A channeled Zephyr experiences a lot of pain. The ones I have met fight back, until..." She pauses.  
"Until...?" Loki urges her to continue.

Ravir turns to face him.  
"He treats them like deities. But his ways are twisted. He gives them everything he wants them to want and he fills their heads with spells and curses until they forget who they are and what they are supposed to feel. Until all they know and care about is him." Loki holds his breath. _She looked like a Goddess._ That's what he thought of Daphne in his vision. He cannot let this happen to her. His dearest Daphne. Somm _has_ to die.

"And there really is no way for me to kill him?" She sighs.  
"Death can happen to anyone, given the right circumstances. Many have tried what you wish to do now. All have failed."  
"Then what are the right circumstances?"  
"The only way I can think of stopping him is to use what he wants against him." Loki scoffs at what Ravir implies.  
"And bring her straight to him? No. No, I will find another way." Loki stomps to the exit. When he reaches the cloth, he stops and turns back to Ravir. "Thank you for your knowledge," he says politely. Ravir stops him in his tracks with her raised voice.

"Before you go," Ravir says quickly. "You have my word." Loki frowns.  
"Your word?"  
"I will not use the Zephyr." She slowly turns into her golden mist again. "Her magic is no use to me anyways."  
"Thank you." Loki ushers softly before making his way out. He's going to have to pay another visit to the library. This time he's going to study how to kill an ancient sorcerer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuun! I hope you liked it! We're going back to Pete and Daph in the next chapter! 👀👀👀
> 
> Later on it will be explained why Daphne is is called "Zephyr" but just to ease your minds: Zephyr or Zephyros (the God) is the (old-)Greek name for the westerly wind. The Greek and Romans used it to positively describe the wind that is favorable and aids them. 
> 
> Another big shoutout to the people who comment: you keep me motivated to keep writing!


	45. Mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne thinks there's a burglar in the Parker apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are yall ready for this? I certainly wasnt ready when writing this. H E L P !

_Thunk!_ Daphne freezes. The sound is followed by a muffled voice, letting out some quiet swears. Daphne was left alone in the Parker apartment by May, who went to get takeaway food. May closed the door behind her not even a minute ago and there was a loud sound coming from behind one of the bedroom doors. Daphne's mind races, but quickly settles on the only thing that made somewhat sense: 

_Burglar._

Daphne panics quietly and looks around the living room. She's going to have to self-defend if anybody decides to walk into the main living area. But with what? Her eyes go a little wider when she spots a bat, poking out from under the couch. It's perfect. She quickly grabs it and holds it up next to her face. Whoever's coming through that door is getting it. Her mind pauses for a second.

What if they only steal something from the room they're in and make their way out again? Then Daphne will have been the chicken who let a burglary happen right under her nose. What if the Parkers don't believe her and think that she stole their stuff?

"Well, fuck me," she whispers under her breath as she carefully walks to the door. She reaches for the handle with one hand, making sure the other still holds the bat close to her in defense. She hears the person in the room fumbling and moving around. They're muttering to themselves. Daphne takes a deep breath and holds it. _Now!_

...

Daphne pushes open the door with force and screams at the intruder with her eyes closed. She swings the bat aggressively and aimlessly. The burglar lets out a startled yelp and catches the bat in their hand, making her lose her balance and trip forward. She panics, shrieks and drops to the floor, but before she reaches it, the intruder catches her in their arms. When she opens her eyes, she recognizes the pattern on his skin tight suit.  
"Woah, there!" he exclaims and then he says it:

_"I got you."_

Her head shoots to the masked face and her breath hitches in her throat. Spider-Man helps her stand upright and cocks his head at her. All she does is stare at him. The puzzle pieces are rapidly connecting in her head. Her brain can't keep up with how much sense everything suddenly makes.  
"What was that for?" he asks, rather offended. He gestures at the bat that now lies on the floor. She doesn't reply. Her mouth is slightly opened and she can't begin to explain how much she hates herself right now. "Daph?"

"I'm so fucking dumb," she whispers.  
"What? No, I just aske-"  
"Daphne, the densest ass in the universe!" she yells at the ceiling.  
"What are you talking about?" She can hear the panic in his voice, as much as he tries to play it cool. He takes a step back and gestures at himself. "This is for the Halloween party!" His voice cracks when he says it. He's lying. Still, she is not angry with him. She should've figured this out sooner. She should've known. This is on her. He had already told her his reasons for not telling anyone about his identity and those reasons make sense. She does think she should be angry with him, but she isn't.

"When I first met Spider-Man he told me he interns with Stark. Weeks later Peter tells me he interns with Stark." She talks quickly, using her hands and looking down at her feet. Her breath is fast and her heart beats in her head. "Spider-Man has heightened senses. Peter has heightened sensitivity."  
"Daph, please-"  
"The _FUCKING_ text! 'Swinging home to freshen up' right?! My fucking god, even Loki told me you were not who I thought you were and that was the _only_ thing he said to me that I didn't believe." Daphne paces through the room. "Guess he was telling the truth about that too!" She pulls at her hair.

"You even talk the same!" The words- his words- repeat in her head like a banging headache. _I got you. I got you. I got you. I got you. I got you. I got you. I-_ She takes a shaky breath and closes her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. With great difficulty, she collects herself and shakes her head. Everything makes sense now. _Everything._  
"I-" She holds up her hand to shush him and slowly turns to look at him, but she doesn't talk anymore.

Daphne still can't see his face, but she can imagine what it must look like right now. For once she's glad his puppy-dog eyes are hidden behind those lenses. She has yet to call him by his name. His _real_ name. She's not sure if she even can. Not when he's dressed like this. She slowly moves back towards Spider-Man, until she stands in front of him.  
"Who else knows?" She asks softly. She can tell he is shaking.

Spider-Man's shoulders droop. _She really knows._  
"May," he mumbles. "Ned..."  
"Stark, I assume?"  
"All the Avengers know." It's quiet for a second. She can feel there's another name at the tip of his tongue.  
"And...?"  
"Madame Touha found out this week."  
"Mada-" Daphne interrupts herself to take a deep breath and looks away for a second.

"She figured it out herself," Spider-Man starts rambling. "From the start she knew I wasn't joining the ballet school cause I wanted to learn ballet for what it is. I wanted to use it for Spider-Man and then there was a news article that mentioned that I started using ballet moves in my fighting and then she called me out on it and I couldn't pretend anymore. I'm so, so sorry for not telling you, but everyone who knows about me being Spider-Man has been put into dangerous situations and I don't want you to be thrown into that kind of stuff ever again, like with David and the whole Loki thing and you always worry about being a bother so I didn't want to put even more pressure on you and I-"

Daphne puts her finger where his mouth is behind the fabric to shush him and he freezes. She lets out a shaky breath as her hand slowly ghosts down from his chin to his neck. She tugs the fabric slightly, trying to find the edge of the mask. When she finds it, she starts pulling it up with both her hands. Slowly and gently. Time seems to have stopped and Spider-Man holds his breath.

A few of his brown curls pop out from under his mask in his neck and she pushes one hand through them, tangling his hair in her fingers. The other hand keeps pushing up the mask. She reaches his jaw and uncovers it. The hand she had in his hair moves back forward to trace his jaw. She pulls the mask up over his nose with both hands. He finally lets go of his breath and closes his eyes. The lump in his throat weighs him down and he has trouble holding back his tears.

Spider-Man stops Daphne's hands from bringing the mask up further by grabbing onto them with his own. His clothed thumbs rub softly over her fingers, not seeing her, but feeling her. He whispers.  
"I'm so sor-" His eyes fly open when he suddenly feels her closed lips against his. They're so soft and warm and- he short circuits. They're... They're...?!

As suddenly as she was against him, she steps back too. Spider-Man just stands there, mouth agape. Daphne's touch lingers on him and he quietly hates the cold she leaves behind. He stares at her wide eyed and she looks back at him. He can't read her expression, there's too much happening on her face to know what exactly she's feeling. He can hear both their heartbeats fast and loud.

"Peter?" She whispers with a cracked voice. Something inside him snaps when she finally says his name. Like an elastic band that was stretched too far for too long. He steps forward and takes her face in his hands, pressing his lips back onto hers in a hungry kiss. She gasps as she opens her mouth and closes her eyes, answering his desperation by taking his top lip between hers and suckling on it.

Daphne's hands cup Peter's face and they run to the back of his head as their kiss continues. No tongue, but they still taste each other. Peter's unsure if his regulator still works, because he feels like he was set ablaze. His hands roam down her arms. He snakes one around her back carefully, so he won't press against her scar. He pulls her flush against him, feeling her warmth. Enveloping himself in it.

Daphne takes the fabric of the mask in her hand at the back of his head and starts tugging it further and further over his face until it glides off his head. She opens her eyes and breaks the kiss, pressing her forehead against his. They both pant as they hold each other tightly. She still has the mask clutched in her hand.  
"You have no idea how badly I've wanted to rip that thing off your head," she breathes. He chuckles.  
"You have no idea how badly I've wanted to kiss you," he replies.  
"I actually think I do," she says softly.

They smile into another kiss. Peter has to remind himself to not go too overboard. He's still Spider-Man. He can still hurt her with his strength. He needs to restrain himself. But the way she feels against him. With him. It's so much better than he could ever imagine. How is he supposed to hold back? _Focus, Pete, focus._ He pulls back and looks at her. At how divine she is. She stares at him, doe-eyed, but he can tell there's a hint of lust in there. Her lips are slightly redder than they were before. And plum. God, he wants to kiss her again. And again, and again. Forever.

Peter raises his hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. He didn't expect her to suddenly look down, her brows curling up into a frown.  
"Are you okay?" He asks, afraid that he might've hurt her. She scoffs and looks back up at him.  
"I really am an idiot, aren't I?" She answers his question with another question. He shakes his head with a smile.  
"Idiots don't get into Midtown Tech."  
"Well, you did," she teases and she sticks out her tongue.  
"Hey!" he pokes her in the stomach and she jolts backwards with a cackle. Her laughter feels like warm sunshine on his skin. 

Daphne throws Peter's mask at him and he catches it with ease. He fumbles with it shyly. Her smile quickly falters.  
"May will be back soon with dinner," she gasps. "Should we tell her I know? Should we tell anyone I know?"  
"No- no, we shouldn't," he replies slightly panicked. Right when he says it, the front door opens. Daphne and Peter turn to the bedroom door, startled.  
"Lasaaaagna!" May singsongs. They can hear her pause physically. "Daphne?"  
"Here!" Daphne yells as a reflex. Her eyes go wide. Why did she call out?!

Daphne looks back at Peter, scared.  
"_Idiot,_" she whispers through gritted teeth as she points at herself. Peter doesn't really know what to do next. His brain quickly goes over his options in his panic. He can't leave. That would make Daphne look weird. May would think she's snooping around in his room. But if he keeps his suit on, May will know Daphne knows. And scenario number three is the one where he takes off his suit. However, he won't have the time to put on other clothes and all he's wearing underneath are his boxers. He would never live down being found in his room with a girl while being half naked. He _really_ doesn't want to get the Talk from May. Before he can really decide which option is best, May is already there.

"Oh, is Peter with y-" May pokes her head around the corner and comes to a halt when she sees Peter in his suit. She glances at Daphne and raises her eyebrows. "Ah!" she exclaims. "Did- did you finally pick up your Halloween outfit for this year?" The stutter in her tone is obvious.  
"It's okay, May, she knows," Peter mumbles. He notices a shift in Daphne's stance. She's making herself smaller and she's looking down at her feet, frowning. Her mind must be racing with everything that just happened.

"Oh, thank God," May groans as her shoulders relax. She leans back and takes a deep breath. "So, eh," she says as she turns to Daphne. "How long have you known?" Daphne swallows.  
"About five minutes?" Daphne tries to keep it light by shrugging slowly.  
"Hoo, boy, sorry for intruding then!" May obviously didn't expect that reply and immediately turns around with her arms raised. She quickly makes her way back to the kitchen. Peter and Daphne look at each other with wide eyes. They hold their breaths, not saying a word. Dinner is going to be awkward tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> F I N A L L Y !
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	46. Cup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne gets out of the Parker apartment as soon as she gets the chance and bumps into someone on her way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still not over the fact that this fic has over a 1000 hits. Baked some cookies today to celebrate that! Next up is 2000 hits!
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading! I hope I can keep entertaining you with this fic!

As expected, they didn't really talk much over dinner. May kept asking questions about Daphne's life, trying to lighten the mood, but nothing was really working. Her answers were short and to the point, not leaving any room to build further onto a conversation. Peter was tense and didn't say anything at all. He felt like any word he'd say would be a word too much. He can't pretend whatever just happened in his room didn't actually happen. They need to talk about the situation, but he doesn't want to do it with May right there. He settles on just listening to the struggling interview. For now.

When they finish their plates, Daphne stands up and brings her dishes to the kitchen.  
"Oh, Daph, don't worry about that, I'll handle that. You two probably need to talk things over," May says as she waves her hand. Daphne turns away and looks down as she sets her plate on the counter.  
"Actually," she mumbles. "I think I need some time to process... Everything." Peter and May look at her as another awkward silence falls. Daphne takes a breath and clears her throat. She turns back to the Parkers and nods while pointing at the door with her thumbs. "Thanks for the dinner, but I'm gonna go."

Peter stands up quickly, nearly tipping over his chair.  
"Do you want me to walk you home?" Her face contorts.  
"I don't know... I..." She frowns and walks to the coat rack. Peter wants to follow, but he stops in his tracks when she takes her coat and puts it on. "I'm just... I'm just gonna go." She doesn't look at Peter or May. She quickly heads to the door and opens it. "It was nice to meet you, May. I'm sorry." Daphne makes her way out and Peter and May stare at the now closed door. All of that happened a little too quickly for them.

May blinks a few times and stands up too, taking the other plates and cutlery. She puts everything on the counter in the kitchen, next to where Daphne put her plate. Peter still stares at the door, silently hoping that Daphne's going to walk back in. He knows she won't, yet he can't move. May sighs and walks to Peter's bedroom.

The Spider-Man suit is suddenly dropped at Peter's feet. He looks at it confused.  
"Go." May says from the other side of the room. Peter turns his head to her.  
"Go?" he repeats.  
"After her, of course!"  
"Bu-"  
"She needs answers, Pete. Walking away from this only gives her more questions. Find her, talk to her." May walks up to Peter and places her hand on his shoulder. She presses her lips together in an encouraging smile. She then bends to pick up the suit she just threw at him and pushes it into his hands. She squeezes his shoulders before giving him a little pat. "Go," she says softly. Peter's jaw tightens in resolution and he nods. Though, he gives back the suit. He's going to do this without Spider-Man.

...

Daphne is in a rush to get home. It's already dark out and she's really not in the mood to be in public. She looks at her feet as she walks, grateful that it's not raining like it did earlier that day. However, it's still achingly cold. She's also incredibly frustrated with herself. She just needs to get to her bed and cry out whatever she's feeling right now. Her brain is replaying all the memories she has with him. With Peter. With _Spider-Man_.

It hurts how obvious it was from day one. And she was stupid enough to never make the connection. He must think she's an idiot too. Anybody would've caught on. Even Madame Touha figured it out and she didn't spend nearly as much time with Peter as Daphne did. 

Daphne's thoughts get interrupted when she bumps into someone. The warm beverage they were holding, falls to the ground. Luckily for them its contents splash away from them. Daphne takes a quick step backwards, and immediately apologizes.  
"Oh God, I'm so sorry." She scrambles to pick up the now empty cup. The man she ran into isn't as angry as she thought he would be. Another thing she's grateful for. She looks up at him. 

The man's brown hair looks unwashed and is long enough to touch his shoulders, if it weren't so tousled. Daphne guesses his eyes are a dark brown, but they look black. He has a thick stubble. Or a short beard, she isn't really sure which one of the two applies. He's tall and lean, and he wears a sleek, fancy coat. She feels odd around him. He's giving off bad vibes.  
"That's alright," the man says. His voice is... weird. It's soft, in a way. But deep and dark, like his eyes. It's almost inhuman, but hey, she shouldn't judge. She can't place his accent, though. Canadian? She's unsure. "Mind buying me a new one?"

Daphne blinks and then sighs as she longingly looks at the subway station that's only two blocks ahead. She gets slightly irritated when she realizes this is probably a cheap pick up trick, which also makes that man a pervert. He's at least 35.  
"I... eh..."  
"Come on, that's the least you could do." She looks back at him. He was awfully direct and she isn't having it. She puts the cup on the nearest surface and opens her bag. She takes out her wallet and hands him ten dollars.  
"That should cut it."  
"I will not have you pay more than necessary."  
"How much was it then? I got change."  
"Why don't you come with me to the coffee shop and you can pay the cashier?"

The man cocks his head and a weird feeling runs through her. He seems to look straight into her soul. It's like he's holding her hostage with his intense stare. Somehow the suggestion tugs at her head. As if it's trying to change her opinion of him. She realizes she wants to say yes, but takes a breath. No. It's wrong. He's wrong. Why would she want to go with him? She blinks a few times and shakes her head, making a mental note not to look at him anymore. Maybe that'll make him go away.

"I just wanna go home. Take the money and leave me alone, I'm not in the mood for this crap." She holds out her hand with the ten dollars and looks at the cup she placed down. There's a name written on it, but the cup is turned away from her too much to see it properly. He laughs softly.  
"Alright, I know when to quit." Daphne frowns as he takes the money out of her hand. He doesn't touch her. She feels like he's lying, but hopes that he'll at least leave her alone. "Hope your mood becomes less sour." She puffs her cheeks at his remark. Who the fuck does he think he is?!

Daphne turns back to give him a snarky reply, but he's already gone. She looks around and then spots him walking into the nearest coffee shop. He's grinning. She shakes her head and scoffs as he disappears into the building. What a fucking ass. She shoves her wallet into her bag and grabs the cup from the surface.

Daphne is many things, but not a litterer, so, she walks to the nearby bin and throws the cup into it. Daphne didn't bother checking his name, she'd rather forget she even met him. She continues her quick pace towards the subway as the cup lays at the bottom of the trash can. The letters reading _Somm_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	47. Double-Edged Sword

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne has a conversation in her apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A friend of mine told me it's apparently easier to read if I break up the text into more paragraphs, so I tried it a little bit. It feels kind of unnatural to just have a white space when no time passes, but that's just something I'm going to have to get used to, I guess! If it's easier for you guys then I'll do it! ^_^

Daphne throws the door shut. Her dad is on a date and for once she's grateful he's trying to see other women. She wouldn't have had the gut to explain this to him. She couldn't. Spider-Man is supposed to be a secret. Her coat is thrown in the corner and she makes her way to her bedroom. She aggressively throws her shoes in the corner, already feeling the heavy weight in her chest rise to her throat. Her thoughts start blending together as her tears make her vision blur.

"Are you alright?" Her head shoots to the door where the voice came from. Loki stands in the door opening, but he's not his usual sassy self. His shoulders hang low and he frowns at her, genuinely worried. His question was serious, she realizes. Not meant as a joke. She wants to throw something at him, but can't find herself to put in the effort. She sniffs and blinks, letting the tears stream down her face.

"Do I look alright?"  
"No," he answers simply. He doesn't move, letting her decide whether or not she's comfortable with him there first. She fiddles with her fingers and looks down.  
"Why are you even here, it hasn't been a month yet."  
"I was planning on surprising you, but I wasn't expecting this," he says as he vaguely gestures at her. Something's off about what he's saying. Like he's purposefully keeping something back.  
"We had a deal Loki."  
"We do, we still do." He holds his hands up in defense and takes a tiny step forward. "This is my October visit and then you will not see me until next month." Daphne doesn't move.

It was only last week when they made the deal and it was already October then, but she did say he could visit once a month. Apparently, to him the zoo meet didn't count. This loophole in their deal only works once anyways, so she doesn't bother yelling at him.  
"I will ask before I come next time."  
"Yeah," she mumbles. Her breath is shaky. It's quiet for a second.  
"Can I help? In any way?" He asks concerned. "I'm worried about you."  
"Worried?" Daphne scoffs and looks up at him. Straight into his blue eyes. "About me?"  
"Yes." A silence falls. She doesn't want to ask why. She doesn't want anything right now. She just wants to disappear. He slowly cocks his head and shuffles in his place. His arms hang at his side helplessly.

Daphne can't help herself when she rushes towards him and hugs him tightly. He raises his arms in surprise, looking down at the small girl holding onto his torso.  
"I'm so stupid," she sobs into his chest.  
"You're not." He carefully wraps his arms around her. His slender fingers land on her hair. With anyone else he'd have thrown them off him. He'd worry about his clothes being ruined. With Daphne, however, he feels nothing but a duty to protect. To keep her safe. He doesn't like seeing her like this. In pain. "Who hurt you?" He didn't mean to sound as aggressive as he did.  
"No one," she mutters. "I'm just stupid."  
"How are you stupid?"  
"Peter."

Daphne immediately regrets saying his name as she can feel Loki tense up.  
"What did he do?" he asks through gritted teeth. She can't lie to him. But she also knows he already knows about Peter. He practically told her that during the kidnapping.  
"Double-edged sword," she says quietly. Loki remembers their conversation and makes a short confirming noise. His body relaxes slightly.  
"He told you?"  
"I... figured it out." She sniffs and re-positions herself against him, turning her head the other way, but not looking at him.  
"Yet you call yourself stupid."  
"I should've known sooner," she scoffs through her tears. "Besides, he made it blatantly obvious."

Loki presses his lips on top of each other. This situation must look rather comical as he's a _lot_ taller than she is. Her head only just about reaches his chest and she clutches onto him with everything she has. Her shoulders are still jolting from crying.  
"So," he starts. "You found out about Peter, but instead of being angry with him for lying to you, you are frustrated with yourself for not finding out sooner?" She nods into his chest. Loki lets out a laugh he meant to repress. "That is an unconventional way of thinking."  
"My mind's been all over the place since you took me."  
"Is that an accusation?"  
"Yes."  
"I apologized."  
"And I didn't forgive you." Daphne pushes herself away from his chest to look up at him. He lets go of her and studies her face. She's a mess. Her cheeks are puffed and her eyes are red, yet she still raises an eyebrow, cocks her head and sassily says: "Remember?" Loki smirks.  
"I do."

Loki lets go of her and she awkwardly lets go of him, suddenly realizing she just hugged the most hated person on earth. She takes a few steps back and hugs herself instead. The lump in her throat is still there, but Loki's somewhat distracting her, so that's nice.  
"You should probably talk with him," he says gently. Daphne looks down.  
"I know, I just..." She pauses and frowns. Is he giving her advice? "I'm not sure if I can just yet." When she looks back up at Loki she sees a mischievous glimmer in his eyes.  
"Something else happened that you're not telling me." Her face shifts to quiet shock. _Oh, shit. Oh, no. __Oh, shit, shit, shit._ He does _not_ have to know about the kiss.  
"No," she blurts out a little too quickly. A wide grin appears on his face and he steps forward.  
"Yes," he says with a daring tone.  
"I'm not telling you." Daphne holds her breath.  
"Ah, please, indulge me."

She pushes past Loki towards the living room. He follows her swiftly.  
"No," she pushes out.  
"Alright, alright." Daphne stops in her tracks. Something's off and she can sense it. She turns back to Loki and cocks her head, eyeing him sideways.  
"There's something you're not telling me either." Loki freezes for a second, but quickly brushes it off.  
"I'm not here to talk about me."  
"Okay, but what if I want to know something about you?" She puts her hands on her hips.  
"Then you can ask me and I will answer truthfully."  
"Alright, tell me what's bothering you." Loki frowns at that question.

He was hoping she'd ask something more trivial, like his favorite meal or something.  
"My brother is always bothering me." Daphne's eye twitches when he says that. The weirdest feeling spreads from her gut to the tips of her fingers. Like it was in response to what he says. Her eyes widen slightly.  
"You're lying," she says surprised. "That's... that's a lie, I could feel it." She looks at her stomach and places one hand on it. "Right here."  
"Yes, of course you can feel that. It's the same thing I feel when you lie."  
"Is that cause of-"  
"Yes," he says simply. She stares at him with an open mouth.  
"That's nuts." Loki shrugs at her weird Midgardian saying.  
"Magic always comes with a price. Or a side effect." Daphne blinks a few times.  
"So, what's actually bothering you?"  
"Something I am not going to tell you."

The less Daphne knows the better. As long as Somm isn't aware of her, she should stay in the dark. Loki was actually here to talk with her about it, but seeing her so shaken up made him decide to hold off for now. She doesn't deserve any more troubling thoughts in her life. It's not fair to her. He doesn't want to add 'fear of being taken away at any given second' to her list of anxieties. Especially since he caused her such trauma when he took her. He needs to give her time. He will tell her some other time.  
"Then I will not tell you about-"

They get interrupted by the bell.  
"Expecting anyone?" Loki asks cheekily.  
"No," Daphne scoffs and she walks to the buzzer. When she turns it on she's surprised to hear Peter.  
"Daph?" He's panting, fast and loud. "Is that you?" She doesn't reply right away. Instead, she looks down. She can feel Loki stare right through her.  
"It's me," she says softly.  
"I- I ran, Daph, I didn't swing here, I ran." She can hear him struggling to get the words out. "I want to talk with you. Please, please, let me in," he begs.

Daphne glances back at Loki, who cocks an eyebrow. When she faces forward again, she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. She hits the buzzer to open the door, but immediately turns off the intercom.  
"You're letting him in with me here?" Loki laughs.  
"I'm letting him in and you're leaving," she says bluntly. Loki cocks his head, but holds up his end of the deal. Leave when she wants him to.  
"Very well." He turns away from her and looks back with a smirk. "Good luck. See you next month." When she wants to say goodbye, there's a knock on the door and she looks at it. It was only a quick glance, but when she turns to where Loki was, he's gone again. She groans quietly as she makes her way to the door. She takes a second to collect herself.

_Breathe, Daph, breathe._

She turns the knob and steps back as she swings the door open. Peter stands awkwardly, still panting. His curls are stuck to his forehead. If he swung here, he wouldn't nearly be as sweaty as he is now. And he also would've been here way quicker than he is now. He's not wearing a coat. Nor did he bring his backpack. He's just there, in his jeans and shirt with a flannel over top. He really did run. For her.  
"Hey," she says quietly.  
"Hey," he breathes, not saying anything else, but also not moving to come inside the apartment either. Just like Loki, he's waiting for her permission to actually be there. She sniffs and stares at him.

Time to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki tries super hard, but it's difficult to let down his walls around her. Especially when it comes to possible life threatening things that very much apply to Daphne, lol.
> 
> I somehow find it more difficult to write on weekends than on weekdays, so I'm sorry if it was a bit lacking. I hope you still enjoyed the chapter, though!


	48. Silver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravir breaks a promise and Peter makes one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little shorter than usual!

_"You were right, Ravir," Somm says slowly. A toothy grin creeps on his face as he circles the golden enchantress. Her usual wall of seduction is nowhere to be found. He had her on her knees, defeated, and he loved it. "There is a Zephyr on Earth..."_   
_"Would I lie to you about that?" The words are forced. She hates herself for selling out the girl, but she has more important matters. Selfish ones._   
_"Yes, actually," he sighs. "You have lied to me before." He cocks his head at her. "And you did lie to me about the Zephyr, in a way."_   
_"I didn't."_   
_"You told me she was ready," he says accusingly. He keeps walking slow circles around her. "She is not."_

_"My knowledge of Zephyrs is lacking compared to yours."  
_ _"Oh, I know," he chuckles. "I am not angry with you. She will be ready soon." He closes his eyes, relishing in the thought of finally having a Zephyr again. "I will have to be patient for only a little while, until summer hits the continent she lives on." Ravir takes a breath. She knew the Zephyr wasn't ready, but she needed to tell him about Daphne so she could retrieve what's hers. And there's still more than enough time for Loki to take Somm down. This way they all get what they want. All Ravir had to do was inform Somm of Daphne's existence. Everyone wins. As long as Loki uses Daphne to kill Somm._

_"I held up my end of the deal, now you hold up yours," she says quickly and to the point. Gold dust falls off her hair when she turns her head to look at him. Somm rolls his eyes, but agrees._   
_"Very well." He waves one hand and a small bottle appears. He opens it and a silver mist flows out. The palace's golden aesthetic becomes a marble-like mix between gold and silver. It's a comforting sight she hasn't seen in over 1200 years. The mist solidifies and a man completely made of silver falls to the floor, coughing and gasping for air._

"_Brother!" She rushes for her sibling, who's trying to keep himself upright and take in enough air to breathe. Tears well up in his eyes when he sees her and he holds out his hand to her._  
_"Sister," he breathes. She falls on the floor next to him and they come together in a tight embrace. When Ravir looks up to where Somm stood, he's gone. There's an ache in her chest. Guilt. But she can finally see her brother again. Hold him. 1200 years... She pulls back a little and takes his face in her hands. He whimpers through the pain of finally being released from such a small space after so long._  
_"You're home," she sobs. Golden tears trickle down her cheeks. "You're finally home."_

...

Daphne sits down on her bed. She's fiddling with her fingers and looks to the side. Peter stands opposite her, equally awkward.  
"So," Daphne starts with a mutter. "Talk, huh?"  
"You must have questions. I will answer them. All of them." He kneels down in front of her and takes her hands in his. She still doesn't look at him. Instead, she frowns.  
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Now it's Peter's turn to frown. He moves his head back confused. This wasn't exactly the kind of question he thought he would be answering.  
"What?" He collects himself and rubs her hands with his thumb. "No, of course not. Why would I?"  
"You've been dropping hints since day one and I didn't catch on until I actually saw you as Spider-Man in your bed room."

Peter looks at Daphne and bursts out laughing, finally making her look at him. His curls dance around his face. It makes her want to push her hands through them.  
"I have definitely not been dropping hints."  
"Then why does everything make so much sense?" She feels the tears coming back.  
"I don't know..." He sucks at his teeth. "Hindsight? I'm terrible at secrets? Both?" She scoffs softly.  
"I knew you were hiding something; I just didn't know what.

Peter smiles kindly at her, his eyebrows are curled together slightly. He lets go of her with one hand and wipes away a tear that's falling down her cheek.  
"You do now," he whispers. She brings up her hand to hold his against her face. "I'm sorry I made you feel this way."  
"You didn't," she says with a smile. "I'm just fucked up, I guess."  
"Daph-"  
"I'm sorry, Pete." She sniffs and leans into his touch. "I shouldn't have run off."  
"It's okay, dove, it's okay."

Peter grabs her face with both his hands now and moves closer, shuffling on his knees.  
"I want you to know that you mean the world to me and I don't want anything bad to ever happen to you." He presses his forehead against hers. "I promise you I will always protect you, Daph." She closes her eyes as she feels his warm breath on her face. She has a crooked smile as their noses touch. "I will do anything I can to keep you safe." Daphne lets herself glide off the bed until they're both on their knees. She pulls him in for a hug and holds onto him tightly. He kisses her on her hair, right above her ear, before he mumbles, filled with resolution. "I got you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daph is safe... For now.............. 👀


	49. Sneezy: The Sequel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter thinks he's in the perfect position to get what he wants, but Daphne has a mischievous plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more PURE FLUFF!

Daphne and Peter spent most of the night talking. They ended up lying on her bed, next to each other, staring at the ceiling. Peter managed to make Daphne laugh too. The triumphant and warm feeling he gets when he makes her laugh makes him confident. And her laugh; it's so beautiful. He thinks so, at least. He finds himself joking around more, just so he can hear her express her joy.

It's getting rather late and her father still hasn't come home. Daphne explained he might be 'otherwise occupied' with his date. It made them both go bright red at the thought and they quickly changed the subject.

"Wait, so this means you constantly pretend to be not as strong as you actually are?" Daphne turns to lie on her side so she can look at him more easily. Peter does the same.  
"No one at school really knows I'm strong at all," Peter says. He bites the inside of his cheek.  
"Why not show them?"  
"I don't think you realize I used to be the nerd king at school," Peter laughs. "Think of me, but without the muscle. I was small, weak, had prescription glasses..." He keeps adding to his list. "Could barely do one push-up, which made me the target of most bullies, even though Midtown Tech is a nerd school. Oh, and I had noodle arms-" She stops him before he can continue listing self-deprecating things.

"Noodle arms?" Daphne pulls in her legs as she chortles.  
"The noodle-iest." He smiles wide with his tongue squeezed between his teeth. Daphne studies his face and it's quiet for a second.  
"You'd look good in glasses," Daphne teases. "You should wear them."  
"I don't need them anymore," he chuckles and nudges her shoulder. "At school they just think I wear contacts now."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah."  
"Wow."

It's quiet for a little bit, but it's not awkward. Peter breaks the silence:  
"I only allow myself to do about 17 sit-ups during PE and I have to make it look like it's hard," he says. It makes Daphne snort.  
"So PE is an extension to drama class for you?"  
"Yep," he says as he pops the p at the end of the word.  
"Let me get this straight." She tugs one of his stray curls back where it belongs and pulls her hand back in. "You, master of all nerds, got bitten by a radioactive spider and that resulted in you getting completely ripped overnight and it fixed your eye-sight?"  
"Pretty much."

"So, you pretend to be weak because it's not on brand?"  
"It's not as easy as it looks," Peter laughs. "I have to restrain myself. Constantly. Try to imagine every item around you is a stage prop made of Styrofoam."  
"The ones that look like they're real, but weigh nothing?"  
"Yeah, those," Peter says with a nod. "That's my entire life. I pretend things take effort."  
"That's kind of insane."  
"Also super exhausting."  
"I can imagine," Daphne sighs. They lay together in silence for a little bit.

Daphne lets her mind wander for a little bit. She already asked most of her questions, but now she's digging through her memories to see if there's anything she's still confused about.  
"Last time you were here as Spider-Man you showed me how your sticking works," Daphne says suddenly. "So... Do you sweat sticky goo?"  
"Yuck, Daph, you make it sound disgusting!" Peter shudders with a snort.  
"Am I right, though?"  
"It's not... Sweat." Peter thinks out loud. "I don't think there's anything like it... In humans at least. It's something I control."

Peter brings his hand up between them. Daphne stares intently at it, trying to see if anything changes. Nothing happens. At least, that's what she thinks.  
"Are you doing it?" Daphne asks. Peter nods as he puts up his pointer finger. He slowly brings it closer to her face and her eyes follow it. Peter stifles a laugh when she goes cross eyed, the closer he gets to her nose. She frowns and scrunches her nose as she blinks a few times and moves her head back to get away from his finger. "Pete-?"  
"Boop," he says softly. His finger is now resting on her nose. She scoffs into laughter as she grabs his wrist to pull him off, but she finds he's stuck.

"Peter Benjamin Parker, let go of me!"  
"I can't!"  
"You know you can, you liar! It tickles! Please!" Peter can't stop his own laughter. An idea sparks in his head and he quickly pulls her closer to him with his free arm, until they're flush against each other.  
"What do I get in return?" he asks cheekily. They lock eyes. They're so close to each other. There's a flutter in Daphne's stomach. She can't see his lips because the hand that has his finger resting on her nose is in the way. She really wants to kiss him. But that's probably what he's aiming for too and she won't give in that easily. The regulator that keeps his nerve endings in check is around the wrist he's holding her hostage with. Her plan was quickly and carefully crafted and she grins.

She sticks out her tongue and licks his hand. The unexpected feeling makes Peter flinch and he lets go of her nose in reflex.  
"Hey, that's not-!" Before he can finish his response, the now familiar feeling of the slap on bracelet around his wrist disappears. "Daph!"  
"Boop!" Daphne boops his nose with her own index finger and quickly rolls off the bed to hide from the explosions that are coming up.

"Ah! No, why'd you-!" He stops mid-sentence. The heat in his nose flares up and before he can prepare himself, he sneezes. Loudly. He groans as he curls up into himself, hearing Daphne's muffled laugh from under the bed.  
"Are you alright, Peter?" she asks sheepishly.  
"Daph, please give the regu-guuuuuu-!" He sneezes again. Slowly but surely, a hand appears from the side of the bed. It holds the regulator. He yanks it out of her hand and slaps it quickly on his wrist. He pants fast and loud as he comes down from his high, lying on his back.

Daphne carefully crawls up from under the bed and lies down next to him again. She settles on staying a little bit away from him until he's calm again.  
"You alright, Pete?"  
"Yeah," he mutters with his eyes closed. She suddenly feels a strong wave of guilt wash over her.  
"I'm sorry, I took it too far."  
"Nah, nah, it's okay." Peter smiles and lets out a soft scoff. "The over-stimulation is uncomfortable but when you put the bracelet on, it's... It's..." He sighs contently. "It's actually kinda nice."  
"Wait, the regulator makes you feel nice?"  
"Only when you touch me before I wear it." He sounds calm, but his voice is collected and he speaks like a scientist; stating the facts. His voice starts trailing off near the end. "The cooped-up energy at my nerve endings gets spread through my body when I put on the bracelet. It's warm. Nice..."

A wide smile spreads on his face as he relaxes further, letting himself be consumed by her lingering power in his body.  
"Hey, Pete," Daphne nudges him. "Don't fall asleep on me now, I'm not done with my questions yet." She actually is, but she just wants him to stay awake with her.  
"Well, what do you want to know?" It's nothing but a mutter. He can't be far from dream land now.

Daphne thinks for a second and inches closer to Peter. She really doesn't know what else to ask, but before she can come up with anything, she hears his steady breath. His jaw is slacked and his left hand loosely lies next to his body. His right hand rests on his stomach. She smiles softly. He's fallen asleep. She scoots even closer to him, until their bodies touch and she wraps her arm around his torso, holding him tight. Her head rests on his shoulder.  
"Next time you want me to kiss you, Peter, all you gotta do is ask," she mumbles as she presses her lips to his jaw. He doesn't notice, though. He's already dreaming about her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I looove writing fluff. Dialogue between these two is SO much fun to write!
> 
> In the next chapter we'll be working towards the Halloween party! OooOoooOoOOOOoOoooOOoooOoo!


	50. Spider-Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne reads some troubling texts from her old classmates and decides to take action. Peter and Daphne look for their Halloween party costumes in the not-so-spacious ballet school storage room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We hit 50 chapters, aaaa!! Special content in a special chapter! Time to reference _the_ kiss from the OG Spider-Man film!

It's Monday. Daphne scrolls through her phone during lunch break, waiting for Peter. She's sitting by herself at a table, her feet are tapping the ground rhythmically. Bored, she decides to check out the group chat of her old class, which she had muted.

Daphne frowns as the words pass by. Her thumb flicks over the screen at a fast pace, trying to catch up. She purses her lips in anger. _Unbelievable._ She gets her to her feet and scans the cafeteria for the blonde who's always involved with everything. She must be able to help. Daphne rushes to the other side of the room when she spots her.

"Betty?"  
"Oh! Hi, Daphne?" She smiles kindly, turning just her head to Daphne. "What's up?"  
"I, uh... Have a bit of a weird request." Daphne's eyebrows curl up into a frown.  
"Oh?" Betty turns her way completely now and puts her hands on her hips. "What weird request do you have?"  
"So... my old school has a few-ehh... Legal issues." Betty frowns, but leans forward. There's a curious gleam in her eyes. "Money stuff..."  
"Go on...?"  
"My old class is not allowed to go to the Halloween party."  
"Um, yikes, that's kinda mean."  
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Daphne says as she glances at her phone.

Daphne takes a breath, gathering courage to ask her question.  
"Do you think the Midtown Tech party can handle a couple more guests?" Betty's eyebrows shoot all the way up to her hairline. She starts shaking her head and Daphne takes a step towards her. "It's not fair. The principal is taking out his frustrations on them." Daphne brings her hands together to plead. "Please, please, please, consider!" Betty looks off to the side and bites the inside of her cheek. Her eyes squeeze into tiny slits as she thinks.

"I can't just go up to the board and ask them to invite students from a rivaling school," she starts. Daphne stays quiet, hoping she continues her train of thought. Thankfully, she does. "But if we can get something from the students who are invited..."  
"Live music?" Daphne tries. Betty was aiming for Daphne to say that, because a large, knowing grin spreads on her face.  
"Do your classmates know how to throw a party?" Betty cocks an eyebrow and now it's Daphne's turn to grin. She remembers all the previous parties the school hosted and all of them were memorable for their own reasons. All thanks to her class.

Daphne nods. One corner of her mouth curls up.  
"Definitely."  
"Alright, you ask your classmates if they're up for it and then I'll throw in my charm with the board." Daphne shrieks with joy and hugs Betty tightly. She didn't expect the sudden physical attention, but laughs and hugs Daphne back.  
"Thank you, thank you, thank youuu!"

...

"Come on, Pete, be quiet!" Daphne whispers loudly as they stand among the boxes of costumes in the dance school's storage. Their hunt for an original Halloween outfit led them here and Peter accidentally bumped into a miscellaneous prop box. It's not really spacious in the storage room. The walking space can't be more than 2,5 feet wide and custom wooden shelving has been built in to accommodate all the boxes. There's a system to the room, but it's difficult to move around in it.

The school sure has a lot of stuff. Peter's not focusing. His attention constantly shifts from one prop to the other. It all looks so cool and Peter's like a puppy, in awe of all the things around him that he's never seen before. It's frustrating to Daphne that Peter's not being more careful. More sneaky. She knows he can be. Being Spider-Man, and all. His endless wonder for all the the items and costumes is kind of endearing, though, so she's not mad.

A muffled piano plays in the room next door and the teacher calls out combinations for the students to dance. Daphne and Peter just finished their own class and the next class that's happening now is still at the barre.  
"Daph, why are we whispering?" he whispers back loudly. She browses for the right box, scanning all the labels carefully.  
"Madame Touha said no one should know about us borrowing these costumes and these walls are thin as fuck," she replies with raised eyebrows.

Daphne finds what she's looking for and takes the storage box from the shelf. She opens it and starts rummaging through it. It's a deep box, so her entire upper body disappears into it.  
"She really likes you, doesn't she?" Peter crosses his arms.  
"I've spent so much time at this school since we moved to New York, she's pretty much my mom at this point." Peter holds his breath at her remark. He knows her mom isn't in her life, so saying it so bluntly and easily like that throws him off a little. Then again, his experience with parental figures is different. He remembers his parents; she doesn't remember her mom.

"What are you looking for?" He peeks over her shoulder. "Can I help?" The box is filled with off-white robes.  
"Gottem!" She holds up a beautiful, short dress. She shoots a glance at Peter and smiles. "I played Cupid in last year's story performance." She throws the dress over Peter's face and he grabs it with a chuckle. _Cupid, huh?_ Daphne grabs her phone and scrolls through her photo album. She turns the device to him and he can't help but smile at the picture.

Daphne looks adorable. There's a big grin on her face and she's wearing a small, flowy bodysuit type of dress. It's the same dress he's now holding in his hands. His cheeks flush red at the thought of her looking so incredibly stunning in it, and now his fingers are caressing the fabric. There's a laurel crown on her head and she has little wings stuck on her back. She is mid-leap and her confidence radiates off the photo.

Daphne puts her phone away, to Peter's dismay, and dives back into the box with white costumes.  
"So, you want to go as, what, Greek Gods?" She turns to him with a few more dresses in her hands.  
"You don't?"  
"I mean, that'd be cool, but won't you get cold?"  
"Ah, I'm not going as Cupid," she says. It's slightly muffled as she's digging her way to the bottom of the box. "Fuck, man! Where's-" She pauses. "Yes, got it!" 

Daphne starts pulling another dress out of the box, but it seems to just keep going and going and going. More chiffon gathers in her hands until Peter can't see her face anymore.  
"That's a big dress," Peter laughs. He tosses the Cupid dress back into the box and takes the dress Daphne's holding in his hands to relieve her a little bit.  
"Persephone!"  
"Queen of the Underworld?"  
"You better believe it!" She says as she places her chin on top of the bulk of fabric. "This dress is perfect! All I need is the laurel crown and some sandals and I'm good for the party!" She shoves the rest of the chiffon dress into Peter's hands and quickly grabs her tote bag. It's a little too small, but she fits in enough of the dress to carry it around more easily.

"Alright, did you have anything in mind for me?" He asks while placing the tote bag over his shoulder.  
"I dunno, what are you thinking? We got Roman soldiers... Some Gods..."  
"How about I go as Hades?" He cocks his head at her. "Ya know, to keep it spooky?" Daphne snorts, but nods.  
"Hades should beeee..." Her voice trails off as she looks at all the boxes. When she spots the right container, she pouts. Top shelf. High ceiling. "Why do you have to pick the one that's hardest to reach?" She looks around for a ladder.  
"I'm sorry, I just want to match your costume," he says and he sticks out his tongue. "Here, hold this." He hands her the tote bag and she puts it over her shoulder. Peter tugs and pulls softly at the shelves to see how sturdy they are. They're bolted into the wall, so he takes his chance.

Daphne barely blinked and Peter's already at the top shelf, sticking to whatever surface is nearest. He easily takes the box from the top shelf and places his feet on the ceiling. He stretches out and hands Daphne the box. She gently places it on the floor and when she stands back up straight, she notices Peter hasn't come down from the ceiling yet. Instead, he's staring at her. She hears the trademarked Spider-Man thwip and he slowly moves down to match her height.

"Pete," she whispers quietly. His pupils are slightly diluted. She catches him looking at her lips and she, in turn, glances at his. The storage space suddenly is a whole lot warmer than she recalls it being before. It feels even tighter as well. The tote bag with the Persephone dress in it falls off her shoulder. It hits the floor with a soft thud. He inches closer to her, until she can feel his hot breath on her face. Goosebumps travel over her body. The muffled piano music from the class next door surrounds them and their hearts beat fast.

"Is this okay?" he mutters. She nods slowly and closes her eyes. They both slightly open their mouths, their lips grazing past each other.  
"Yes," she breathes into him. They softly press their lips against each other. The contact sends a shiver down Daphne's spine. Her hands creep up to hold his face and his free hand glides over her hair. He fiddles with the little hair net that keeps her bun in place. He gasps into her mouth when she helps him remove all the pins, dropping them to the floor.

They untangle the simple bun and his hand runs through the ponytail that's left behind, tugging at the tangles. Her hands go back to his face and cup his cheeks. Their breathing quickens and she feels his tongue licking her lips through the kiss. She opens her mouth a little further, granting him access. Their tongues dance to the piano music and Peter melts under her touch. Her taste is overwhelming. So sweet.  
"Daph," he whispers into her mouth.  
"Mhm...?" She's too occupied with kissing him to give him a proper reply.

Peter slowly turns mid-air, bringing down his legs from his webbing and he turns right side up while they're still kissing. When his feet softly land on the floor, he lets go of the string hanging from the ceiling and embraces Daphne with his now free arm. Their mouths haven't left each other for a second. When he finally breaks their kiss, he presses his forehead against hers and smiles. Their noses touch gently.  
"I really like you." There's a slight stutter in his voice. Daphne chuckles and presses a feather kiss on the corner of his mouth.  
"I really like you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spider-Kiss???? (Shoutout to anyone who gets that reference.)
> 
> Thank you all so much for sticking with me through all these chapters! Next up is a 100! (I honestly don't know if we're going to get that far, but like, who knows, lol. The outline of my story is set; it's all just completely dependent on how I'm going to write it).
> 
> Also another shoutout to all the people who keep commenting! You keep me motivated to write, not only for myself but for you as well! Thank you! <3


	51. Holding Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter is worried he'll hurt Daphne during their pas de deux classes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting yesterday; I had a big-ass migraine.
> 
> Tons of dialogue in this chapter!

"Aaaand, développé!" Madame Touha claps her hands and Daphne follows her cue into Peter's arms. His hands rest on her hips as she brings her left leg up as high as possible. Knowing that it takes Peter about zero effort to hold onto her like that makes it a lot easier to just give into the music and let her body flow with it. He's got her. "Turnnnn.... and penché, slowlyyy, ease into it." Madame Touha nods and walks around to their other side, studying Daphne's penché. "Good, good. Keep going, engage your leg muscles more, Daph, gooood, yes!"

They are about two minutes into the choreography. The music is slow, so the movements are too. For now, they mostly focused on the arabesques, promenades and développés in the variation. Turns were for next class as they are a next level difficulty. Not to mention the lifts they were going to have to do. Peter's fingers softly press into Daphne's hips and she hates to admit it's a little distracting. His warmth goes straight through her leotard and seeps into her skin. She's slightly out of breath and she's trying _very_ hard to get back into the music and ignore his touch. Get into character. Think of words that fit. _Grace. Delicacy. Extend._ She closes her eyes for a second. _I am the Sugar Plum Fairy._

...

Nope, it's not working. Daphne dreads coming up from the penché. It means she has to slightly turn towards Peter and make eye contact. She's not sure if she can handle that right now. Seeing his face. She wishes for Madame Touha to pause, but unfortunately for her, the music keeps going and Peter gently turns Daphne 45 degrees. There's no way out. She has to follow the steps. She looks at him, but he forgets to look at her. He's completely focused on her waist and the placement of his hands. There's a little frown on his face and his tongue sticks out slightly from the corner of his mouth. Daphne pauses mid-choreo and whispers.

"You okay?" He snaps out of his trance and looks at her.  
"Wha- yea, yeah... I'm just- I'm not sure if I'm doing this right." The uncertainty in his voice makes Daphne soft.  
"You are, actually, Peter," Madame Touha says as she stops the music. Daphne goes off pointe. "You need to be more confident. If I have comments for you, you'll hear me."  
"I know, I know..." Peter lets go of Daphne's waist and steps back. He pushes his hair back over his head. "Is it okay if we take a little break?" Daphne's brows curl up into a frown. Peter never asks for a break. She places her hand on his upper arm.  
"I'm alright with that." Daphne smiles at him, but he's still looking at his hands.  
"Sure, take five," Madame Touha turns to the stereo system to grab her phone. Peter immediately rushes out the dance hall, leaving Daphne behind; confused.

...

"Peter?" Daphne knocks on the door of the men's changing room "Are you sure you're okay?" He doesn't reply right away.  
"No..." His voice is muffled.  
"Can I come in?" It's quiet for a second.  
"...Yeah." Daphne opens the door and finds Peter on one of the benches, staring at his hands. She walks in and closes the door behind her before sitting down on the floor at his feet. She gently takes his hands in hers and rests them on his lap. She has to look up to find his gaze.

"You wanna talk?"  
"I dunno."  
"Come on, Pete. Something's bothering you." She rests her chin on his knee and tilts her head to maintain eye contact. "Is it something I can help with?"  
"Not exactly," he mumbles.  
"Spider-stuff?" He nods slowly. His face is slightly contorted.  
"I don't really know how to be delicate... With you..."  
"You-" Daphne interrupts herself and thinks, turning her head to the side. "25 tons, huh?" Peter presses his lips on top of each other, he nods again. "Are you afraid you'll hurt me?" Peter nods even quicker now, slightly squeezing her hands. He can't seem to get a reply out of his mouth. Daphne shifts to sit on her butt and hooks her legs around Peter's.

"You haven't hurt me so far," Daphne tries.  
"I know, I know, it's just..." He leans back and groans. "It's difficult."  
"What about when you kiss me?" Peter frowns at that.  
"What about it?"  
"Do you think about holding back when you kiss me?"  
"Yeah..." Daphne's surprised at his reply. He always seemed so relaxed in their kisses.  
"Wait, so you hold back when you kiss me?"  
"I do," he says without hesitation. Though, he almost sounds embarrassed to admit it. Maybe even disappointed. Frustrated?  
"Are you really that scared?"  
"You're really overwhelming, you know that?" He scoffs with a smile. It falters quickly, though.  
"I'm sorry," she mumbles.  
"Don't be." He leans down to kiss her forehead. "It's not your fault. I just don't want anything to happen to you. It took me a year to figure out properly how to control my power and you distract me to the point where I-" He looks her straight in the eyes. "I think I lose control."

Daphne just looks at Peter, not really knowing what to say. Everything had felt so natural up until this point. But it wasn't. _He holds back._ Daphne's cheeks go red at the thought of what he could do to her if he didn't.  
"How can I make you more comfortable?"  
"You can't."  
"You don't know that."  
"Unless you get super strength, I'm gonna have to hold back."  
"Okay, but how much do you think about holding back when you toss a piece of paper in the bin?" She refers to the act she's seen him do countless times in class at this point. He never misses and the throw is always gentle. Even when he thinks nobody's watching.

Peter bites his cheek.  
"I... I don't, really."  
"And why is that?"  
"Cause I've done it so much that I'm used to it." Another one of his little quirks presents itself. Whenever he figures something out or has a breakthrough of some kind; his eyebrow twitches.  
"Repetition," she says softly. "We just gotta keep practicing and then you'll get used to me like you got used to the piece of paper." Peter nods for the hundredth time this conversation, but this time it's with resolution.  
"You're right."

"Do you want to try something other than promenades?" She stands up and cocks her head at him. She pulls at his hands and he slowly gets to his feet. His face goes bright red.  
"I- eh..." Daphne grins cheekily.  
"What do you wanna do, Pete?"  
"I want to try lifting you." He blinks a few times and raises his eyebrows.  
"Lift me?" Daphne looks at him amused. "Already?"  
"I've carried you a few times before. I think I'd get used to you quicker if I do that." Daphne rubs her thumbs over his hands and smiles.  
"Alright, then! Let's go convince Madame Touha."

Peter freezes where he stands.  
"She'd never let me lift you today, probably not even next week!"  
"You don't know that. You said she knows about you, right?"  
"Right."  
"If you tell her what you told me, maybe she'll let us try lifts?"  
"You want me to tell her that I'm scared I snap you in half or break your bones if we keep doing promenades and that's why we should be doing more advanced things?" Daphne presses her lips on top of each other at his reply. That's indeed not the right thing to say.  
"Well, not exactly that..." Daphne takes a breath, purses her lips and turns to the door. "Let me try something."

...

"You want to try the fish dive?" Madame Touha raises an eyebrow at Daphne.  
"Yeah, I'm sure Pete's ready for it."  
"The lift in the pas de deux is a shoulder sit into a fish dive. You are far from ready to try the shoulder sit yourself, so no."  
"Okay, but the fish dive is the easiest lift in ballet and we'll be more confident doing the shoulder sit if we are comfortable with the next step already." Daphne brings her hands together and does a little hop. "We don't have to do the shoulder sit yet, just let us try the fish dive, Madame, please." Madame Touha puts her hands on her hips and sighs.  
"Fine. But if he drops you, it's on you."  
"He won't," Daphne says with a smile. "He's got me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! It's almost time for the Halloween party aaa!
> 
> (Why am I hyping this Halloween party up so much? Maybe something's gonna happen at the party, who knows... 👀)


	52. Open Backs and Updos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne talks about a weird dream she had, Peter asks Tony dancing advice and May helps Daphne with her hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many different things happen in this chapter omg. Have fun reading! I hope you enjoy!

"I had the strangest dream last night." Daphne drops her tray on the lunch table and sits down next to Peter. Ned and Betty were having a conversation about tonight's party. Apparently, Betty got Ned to help with the sound system and they were discussing what time they'd be there.  
"Oh?" Peter turns his head to face her. He rests his elbow on the table and places his hand in his palm; squishing his cheek in the process.

"Yeah, man." She gracefully lifts her legs over the bench and sits next to him with their knees touching. "There was this weird mist everywhere and it was like... Metal? Or something? Like, it wasn't actual mist, but it shone when light hit it." Peter purses his lips and frowns.  
"Huh," he replies.  
"You know, dreams are your subconscious, telling you things," Betty butts in. She stopped talking to Ned; curious about the dream conversation. "There could be a reason you're seeing mist."  
"Who knows," Daphne says with a shrug. "Dreams are fucking weird man."

"Was it just mist?" Peter asks. He somehow has a bad feeling about this. But hey, it's just a dream, it's probably nothing. Right? ... Right?? Why does this make his stomach turn?  
"Nah, I was there too."  
"Were you walking through the mist?" Betty asks as she's on her phone, trying to find the meaning behind mist in dreams.  
"It surrounded me. That's all. It would move with me if I moved, so I just looked at it." Daphne sticks her fork into her food. "The weirdest thing is that I was wearing the Persephone dress." Peter clenches his fork in his hand, accidentally bending it slightly. Something was off, but he doesn't know what. Maybe the lunch food was bad and it was messing with his senses.

"Ah, here; mist!" Betty exclaims. "Or, well, it's described here as fog." Betty readjusts herself in her seat and sits up straight. "Here comes: 'Fog represents a lack of sight-' blah dee blah, not important... 'Seeing fog in your dreams is a sign that you should take a break from any major decisions in your life.'"  
"So, what are we cancelling today?" Ned jokes. Betty pokes him in his side with her elbow. Daphne laughs and Peter joins out of courtesy. Maybe he's just nervous for tonight.  
"Nothing that I can think of." She scratches the back of her head.

"Let's recap: You were dressed as a Goddess, surrounded by a metal mist?" Betty cocks an eyebrow.  
"Silver."  
"What?"  
"I think it was a silver mist."

...

"So, what are you wearing tonight, kid?" Stark doesn't look up from his work. Neither does Peter. He smiles, though.  
"Hades," he says proudly. "We're going as Greek Gods."  
"Oh, wow." Peter knows Tony means well, but he can't help but interpret his comment as sarcastic. Peter feels a little embarrassed. He's telling a grown man he's going to be doing dress-up tonight. Not that he doesn't play dress-up pretty much every time he puts his Spider-Man outfit on. But that feels different. He's not dressing up to pretend. He's dressing up for real. He _is_ Spider-Man. "Let me guess, Daphne's going as Persephone?" Peter chuckles.  
"She is."  
"Cute," is all Stark replies. Peter leans back, tightening some screws in his web shooters with a small screw driver.

"She's got this beautiful dress, Mr. Stark. Kinda surprised she's wearing it, though." Peter puts on the web shooters and readjusts them on his wrists.  
"Oh?"  
"It's got an open back." Peter thwips at the ceiling and pulls himself up until he's upside down, sticking to it. "Huh, much better..." he mumbles to himself.  
"So, her scar's exposed?"  
"I think so, yeah." Peter fiddles with his shooters some more as he paces around the ceiling. "Unless she's wearing one of her skin tone leotards under it, but she hasn't mentioned it."  
"Huh." Tony looks at Peter and smiles at him.

The kid makes him feel young again, yet at the same time Peter makes him painfully aware of how old he is too. Tony's generation's humor is entirely different, but Peter's been teaching him about memes and Vines and all that stuff. Tony doesn't always get the jokes, but he makes Peter laugh when he uses the references correctly, so he spends more time than he would ever admit on watching compilations.

"Mr. Stark?" Tony didn't realize a bit of time had passed. Peter had come back down from the ceiling.  
"What's up, kid?" Peter frowns at his hands and then looks up. His cheeks are flushed. Is he... Embarrassed?  
"How... How do I dance with a girl...?"

...

Spider-Man's in a rush to get back home. The party starts in an hour and he still has to get changed. Daphne's probably already waiting for him. Stark had laughed at him when he asked for dancing advice.  
"Aren't you the one doing pas de deux classes with her?" He asked. Peter told him school dances aren't exactly the right place to do promenades. Tony didn't really get that comment, but he did put on some music to show Peter some basic moves. Peter was quite surprised to find out Mr. Stark knows how to dance a salsa.

Tony taught Peter a basic side step, though Tony's hips were a lot more involved in his dance moves than Peter's. Peter felt like an awkward stick, shuffling side to side. Tony also explained to him how slowing worked. Her hands should be around his neck and his hands should be on her hips. Easy, right? _God, he's nervous._

Peter spots his apartment and swiftly lands in his bedroom. When he makes his way through his room, he spots Daphne and May in the living room through the crack of his door. He quietly tip-toes to the door and looks at the scene in front of him. It makes his heart warm.

May is curling Daphne's hair. He can't see Daphne's face, but her presence is absolutely angelic. She's sitting one of the bar stools, with her back towards Peter. He gasps quietly. She does have her back exposed. But strangely enough, it looks like it's part of the costume. The branches seem to grow out of her dress. He can finally see the dress properly. Under the chiffon, there's a beautiful silk dress and a simple leotard. It gives the costume the exact feel it's supposed to. The chiffon and silk fabrics hang loosely around her body, but the leotard hugs her physique. There are golden flowery details around her shoulders and waist and her chiffon sleeves are shaped like big leaves. She's breath taking.

May's taking her time, gently curling strand after strand and pinning a few of them into a half up-do. She then starts braiding the rest of Daphne's hair and tugs at the strands, loosening it up. She finishes it off by twisting it up onto Daphne's head. Peter lost count of how many pins went into Daphne's hair. She sets everything in place with a strong hairspray. Peter didn't know May could do anything like this. He's never seen her do something this elaborate and detailed with her own hair and Peter doesn't have any other family she could do it for.

"Pete, when are you going to stop staring and get changed?" May chuckles. Peter jolts and opens the door he was peeking through. He stands awkwardly and fiddles with his fingers. May knew he was there the whole time. Daphne turns her head to Peter and smiles. He gasps quietly at the sight. He feels like the luckiest guy on the planet.  
"Hey," Daphne says kindly. "How long were you watching?" Peter steps into the living room. Or, well, Spider-Man steps into the living room.  
"For a little bit," he says, keeping it vague. His lenses go small. Daphne laughs.  
"Go get changed, Spidey, we got a party to go to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I T - I S - T I M E - F O R - T H E - H A L L O W E E N - P A R T Y
> 
> 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀


	53. The Halloween Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Halloween Party doesn't exactly go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I was maybe a little _too_ inspired and wrote 3690 words for this chapter, so it's wayyy longer than the ones I usually write. I hope you don't mind!
> 
> \---
> 
> Warning! There's an assault in this chapter in which a character forces kisses onto someone who does not want this to happen to her. He also starts choking her (non-sexual; he's angry with her). Please be mindful if this triggers you.

Daphne holds tightly onto Peter as they walk through the entrance hallway. It's set up as a haunted house and Daphne squeezes into Peter's arms whenever there's a jump scare. The haunted house isn't doing much for Peter, unfortunately. All the dressed-up characters are people he knows from school, so his Spider-senses don't exactly see anything as a threat. Not to mention the fact he can feel exactly when things are coming, so he just settles on being there to guide Daphne through.

When they finally get to the end, Daphne gasps for air.  
"Never again!" she yelps.  
"Not a fan of haunted houses?" Peter says, lightly amused.  
"Not a fan of scary shit in general," she scoffs. She realizes how tightly she was holding onto Peter's arm and lets go of him. "Ah, fuck, sorry about that." Peter laughs.  
"It takes a little more than that to bruise me, Daph." Daphne chuckles and pokes him in his side as she jokingly says:  
"25 tons, huh?"

"Yo, Daph!"  
"Tyrone, my man!" Peter and Daphne had made their way to gym hall where the actual party takes place. It's dark and all kinds of colored lights and the excessive decoration – probably Betty's work – give the hall a spooky disco vibe. Most of the party-goers are on the dance floor, having fun to a mix of Spooky Scary Skeletons. All of them are dressed up.

Multiple fog machines are hidden by decorations, so there's a thin layer of fog covering the floor, making you unable to actually see it. It looks really cool to see all the dressed-up people glide through the mist. There's a stage at the end where a DJ glues all the tunes together. Daphne told Peter that's Caleb, one of her old classmates. And now, another one of her old classmates, dressed as a devil, runs to her with open arms. Daphne lets go of Peter and gives Tyrone a quick hug. Peter can't help but feel a hint of jealousy nip at him.

"How's smart-ass school?"  
"Hard as fuck, but I'm getting by."  
"Missed your swears, D."  
"Fuck off," she laughs. "What did O'Sullivan think about this party?"  
"What party?" Tyrone jokes. "He thinks we're currently studying _very_ hard for the test we got on Monday."  
"Smart." Tyrone turns to Peter with an apologetic look on his face.  
"Yo, sorry, man, I didn't mean to ignore ya." He sticks out his hand. "Tyrone."  
"Peter," he says quickly. "Hope the rest of smart-ass school likes your music as much as Daph does." He didn't mean for it to sound salty, but it kind of did. He hopes they didn't notice. Tyrone cocks an eyebrow and turns to Daphne.  
"You like my music?"  
"Duh," Daphne scoffs. "Remember me when you're big and famous."  
"D'aww, bean." He pats her head and she punches him lightly in the shoulder. "Ouch, man, I need that arm."  
"For what?" Daphne asks amused.  
"All my singing powers are stored in there." Tyrone leans in and whispers loudly. "Don't tell anyone."

"Babe!" Sarah, dressed as an angel, walks up to them. "We're up- oh, Daph! Hi!"  
"Babe?" Daphne cocks her head and glances at them with a cheeky grin.  
"It's a long story," Sarah laughs and kisses Tyrone on the cheek. Peter's tensed muscles relax and he has to remind himself that jealousy is a bad trait. Daphne and Tyrone are just friends. "How about you and-" Sarah blinks a few times. "Woah, aren't you, like, Peter Parker?" There's a beat. "You're Tony Stark's intern!" Peter laughs sheepishly and scratches the back of his head.  
"That's me." Sarah turns to Daphne when he says that.

"You're _dating_ Tony Stark's intern?" Daphne's face freezes with her mouth open. Peter and Daphne hadn't exactly discussed this. They kiss, yes, but... Are they dating? Maybe... Probably...? Yes...? Peter senses Daphne's panic and decides to get involved.  
"Also a long story," Peter butts in with a forced smile. Sarah giddily jogs in place and grabs Tyrone's arm. She starts dragging him to the stage.  
"Fair enough, fair enough- We gotta go perform now, but we should go on a double date sometime!"

"Good evening, everybody!" Tyrone shouts into the mic. This party's only just beginning. "How are y'all doing tonight?!" The crowd cheers. "First off; I wanna give a big thank you to Betty for organising this entire thing and for giving us the chance to perform for you tonight!" Daphne jumps and cheers along. Sarah grabs the other mic as the band starts playing.  
"Daphne, this one's for you!"

None of them notice the mist starts to thicken.

...

Tony and Pepper are on the couch. With Peter not there that evening, Tony decided to have a surprise date night. Nothing fancy; they ordered sushi from a high-end restaurant and are watching some cheesy rom-coms. Every decision a character makes, is thoroughly judged by the two of them. It's been quite a while since they were able to wind down like this and genuinely enjoy themselves. It didn't last long, though.

"Stark." Tony and Pepper both look to where the voice comes from. An orange circle appears from thin air and Stephen Strange walks through. Tony's mood sours immediately.  
"Not sure if you can tell, but I'm kinda busy."  
"You'll want to hear this." Stephen looks at Pepper and then back at Tony.  
"Guess I should leave you to it?" She says while getting up slowly. Tony softly grabs her arm to stop her.  
"You know what, Pep? No. You can stay right where you are." Stephen groans at Tony's stubbornness. Pepper eases back into the couch and purses her lips.

Tony grins sarcastically. "What's up, doc?"  
"I felt a disturbance this morning."  
"What- in the force?" Tony cocks an eyebrow. Stephen ignores him.  
"Something powerful made its way to earth."  
"Friend or foe?"  
"Unsure."  
"Okay, so why bother me before figuring that part out?" Tony knows aliens come and go to earth constantly. Most have no qualms or bad intentions, so he generally lets them be. If he were to fight every E.T. that shows up at earth's doorstep he wouldn't even have time to pee.  
"Because it involves Daphne." Both Pepper and Tony change their posture immediately.

"What? How?" Pepper frowns.  
"When I felt it, I meditated on it for a bit. It's difficult to locate. It chooses to travel without a physical form."  
"What's this to do with Daph?" Tony stands up and crosses his arms.  
"I saw a flash of a vision."  
"A vision?" Pepper grabs her phone, ready to make some phone calls if needed.  
"It was Daphne, surrounded by silver mist." Stephen's mouth twitches. "I think the being _is_ the silver mist."

"Anything else?" Tony cocks his head.  
"She wasn't dressed normal."  
"What was she wearing then?" Pepper asks with a scoff. Why are her clothes important?  
"It was a white dress." Tony's eye twitches.  
"White, you say?" It's Tony's turn to grab his phone and he opens his messages. May had sent him a picture earlier that night. It was a sneak photo she took of Daphne, fixing Peter's robes. Neither of them seemed aware the picture was being taken. Daphne had her exposed, scarred back turned to the camera and Peter was smiling brightly. The dress Daphne wore was beautiful and her hair looked like a carefully crafted piece of art. "Was her back exposed?"

"Why- yes, how..." Stephen's voice trails off when Tony turns his phone towards him, showing him the photo. "When was this picture taken?"  
"About two and a half hours ago."  
"Where is she?"  
"Midtown Tech." Tony's jaw clenches. "Halloween party."

...

"Peter's not picking up his phone," Pepper says, calm and collected. Stephen just formed a portal to the school and Tony is suited up. Stephen stands with one foot through the portal, waiting for Stark to go through.  
"Let's keep this low profile until we know what's up," Iron Man says. "Don't wanna cause a scene."  
"You're Tony Stark. Showing up at that school will cause a scene," Pepper says as she rolls her eyes.  
"Most of my scholarship kids go there. I'll distract them with a speech about how they should stay in school or whatever, while doc finds Daphne."  
"And Peter?" Pepper asks worried.  
"He'll be with Daph."  
"Are you sure?" Stephen asks.  
"Of course!"

"She went to the bathroom like, five minutes ago," Peter says as he stares wide-eyed at Doctor Strange. Stephen groans in frustration and glances at the stage where Tony just stepped out of his Iron Man suit, causing everyone to freak out and keep their eyes on the stage. At least that part of the plan's working out. He notices the mist, mixing with the fog machines and curses silently. "What's going on?"  
"Nothing, just go get her."  
"I'm not going in the women's bathro-"  
"Go!" When Stephen slightly raises his voice, the thickened fog suddenly starts moving on its own and passes between Stephen and Peter to the door.

Peter runs after it and he grabs the handle to the door that's now completely covered by the fog. It's stuck. He yanks at it with all his power, but he can't even pull the door out of its hinges.  
"What the-" Peter gasps. "It won't budge! The silver mist is blocking the door entirely!"  
"How do you know what it is?" Stephen conjures up a spell to break through it, but it doesn't seem to work.  
"Daphne told me about a weird dream she had last night and it involved her and this... Whatever this fog is!"  
"Great!" Stephen exclaims sarcastically. "Kid, you know this school. Is there any way to get around this?" Peter raises his eyebrows, trying to think quickly.  
"Uh, there's the south entrance. That should be the quickest way."  
"It better be," Stephen says with a tightened jaw. "For her sake."

...

Daphne finishes up washing her hands and takes one last look into the mirror before heading out the bathroom. The hallway is deserted and it's awfully quiet, save for the muffled sound of a voice giving a speech through a microphone. She frowns as she listens more closely. _Is that... Tony? _ There's a lot of fog coming into the hallway from under the doors. Daphne chuckles to herself. Betty really overdid it with those fog machines. Are they malfunctioning?

Suddenly, there's a hand on Daphne's shoulder. Another grabs her jaw and she's pushed against the lockers. Her scar hits the metal and a jolt of pain rushes through her. The assaulter, ironically dressed as a vampire, brings his face to her neck before she can see who it is and starts kissing her sloppily. The kisses are wet and disgusting. The fog inches closer.  
"What the- let go of me!" He groans at her struggle, but ultimately is able to hold her down. She recognizes his voice and panics. "David, let go!" She tries with all her might to push him off her, but he's too strong. The mist reaches their feet.  
"You're mine," he growls. "Mine! Not his!" She can feel the tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.  
"No, no, please-"

_"Let go of her,"_ a voice speaks. David's head shoots away from Daphne's neck. They look around. All they can hear now is Tony Stark's muffled voice and Daphne's quick and heavy breathing. The voice seemed to come from everywhere around them and nowhere at all. _"Unworthy soul," _ it whispers. It sounds like there is a reverb on his voice. It echoes, yet it's right there. It's ethereal.  
"What do you think you're doing?" David tightens his grip around her jaw, choking her slowly. The mist starts creeping up along her body.  
"David-" Her hands grab his and start pulling at his fingers, trying to make him let go of her. "S-Stop-"  
"First you hang out with Loki and now this? What the fuck, Daph."  
"I didn- didn't-" He chokes her even further and she starts to feel light headed. "Da-" Her eyes roll back in their sockets and her arms lose grip. "Pl-"

_"Let go."_ The voice commands. David watches how the mist solidifies next to Daphne. The physique of a naked man appears. He looks like he's completely made of silver. His private parts are conveniently hidden by the mist. He is covered in shining, silver jewelry.  
"What the-!" David releases Daphne and she falls to the floor, coughing and gasping for air. "What the hell, man?!" The man turns to Daphne and leans forward, silver dust falls down his shoulders onto the bottom of her chiffon dress.  
_"Zephyr,"_ he whispers. Daphne's eyes shoot wide open. Air fills her lungs, her mind clears completely and she starts shaking. Their eyes are locked and it's like she's looking into eternity. A silver eternity. What did he just call her?

"Freak! Leave her alone!" David rushes for the silver man and aims to throw a punch. He hits him in the shoulder, but the silver man doesn't move, unbothered by the weak force. A smile creeps on his face as he stands up to look at David.  
_"I may only touch you. You are not to touch me." _ A scream falls out of David's mouth as he stares at the hand he just punched with. _"You broke the one rule."_ Daphne watches in terror as David's fingers start turning silver.

"David?" she mutters. He flinches in pain, his hand now completely made of the silver that is still growing on his arm. He shoots her one last glance. There is fear in his eyes. True fear. She can see something snaps in him and he starts running, leaving Daphne with the silver man.   
"David!" His footsteps die down the further away he gets. David really just left her there with... What even is this person?!  
_"Coward,"_ the being sighs.  
"Is he going to-?" She can't get herself to finish the sentence, but the man knows what she means.  
_"He did not touch me long."_ The man looks at Daphne and she scoots away from him. _"He will lose his arm. Nothing more."_

"Wh-who are you? What do you want?"  
_"I am known to people as Nuveth."_ He takes a step towards her and she pushes herself away from him again, dragging the dress along with her. _"My sister asked me to speak with you." _ She stares at him wide-eyed. _"I do not have long. Earth's Sorcerer Supreme is on his way and I do not wish for a confrontation. So, listen and listen carefully."_ He squats in front of her and reaches for her. Silver dust falls down to the floor with every move he makes. She quickly pulls in her legs, afraid of turning to silver herself.  
"No, please," she begs.  
_"I may touch you. You are not to touch me."_

The look in his gleaming, silver eyes is intense. It keeps her locked in place. Or maybe it's the fear that froze her. He slowly moves closer again and he gently grabs her ankle. Upon contact, images start flashing in front of her eyes and she gasps. Memories. More specifically, her memory of being struck by Thor's lightning. She remembers everything now. In full detail. Even the aftermath. The part even Loki didn't expect her to remember.  
"Wha-" As suddenly as all the images came, they disappear too, when he lets go of her.  
_"You are a Zephyr, child..."_ His physical form starts to dissolve into the silver mist again, starting at his legs and slowly making his way up. _"...And there are people out there who want to use you. You must not let them. You must be strong."_

"What's a Zeph-"  
_"You know the answer already. It is buried within you."_ Nuveth looks past Daphne and his face, which was completely neutral until now, contorts slightly. Help is coming. _"You cannot tell the sorcerer."_ He grabs her arms and lifts her up to stand. Afraid of what might happen if she struggles, she complies.  
"Why not? Maybe he can help?"  
_"Sorcerers can only cause Zephyrs pain. He mustn't know. You can only trust the one who made you."_  
"The one who made me?"  
"Daph!" Peter's voice echoes through the hallway. Daphne turns her head to where his voice comes from and she spots him running towards her with Doctor Strange next to him. Orange circles surround his hands and he's ready to strike.

"Pe-!" Before she can finish what she was trying to say, Nuveth pushes his index finger against her lips and blows silver mist in her eyes. Her brain suddenly feels very light and she gasps for air. Her eyes roll back and flutter closed, and she loses her balance. His grip on her disappears and so does he. The mist rushes into the vents and before Daphne realizes what happened, she finds herself in Peter's arms.  
"Daph, Daph, I'm right here, I'm here." He pulls her against his chest. He lifts her up, the chiffon dress drapes down and drags on the floor.  
"I'll take her, you go get Stark." Stephen opens his arms, but Daphne instinctively holds onto Peter tightly.  
"No," she mutters. "No, I don't want to go with him."  
"Daph, it's okay, it's just Doctor Strange." Daphne shakes her head and hides her face in Peter's neck.  
"No, please, don't let go."  
"I got you, I promise, I promise, Daph-"  
"I'll get Stark," Stephen sighs. "She's probably in shock. Get her some fresh air."

...

"Kid, care to tell us what happened?" Stark kneels in front of Daphne. She's sitting on a bench in a nearby park. Peter's sitting next to her, his jacket is wrapped around her shoulders to keep her warm. The park is abandoned. Daphne's eye twitches as she tries to remember.  
"David was there..."  
"David?" Peter frowns. "What?"  
"He..." She stares straight ahead, unable to form any other words. Her hand goes op to her neck, it hurts where he choked her.  
"He did that to you?" Peter's eyebrows curl up into a frown as he looks at the bruising that's forming on her jaw and neck. He then spots a hickey. "He assaulted you?!" Daphne nods slowly, not daring to look at Peter.

"I honestly couldn't care less about the boy. Tell us about the mist."  
"Stephen!" Tony shouts aggressively at the ground, startling everyone. "For _once_ can you show one fucking inch of empathy?!" He glares at the sorcerer.  
"I don't know if you get this, Stark, but that mist is still out there. If we want to catch it, we have to know what it did to her and why."  
"You either shove that attitude up your ass where it came from or you leave. Choice is yours." Stark shoots him a raging glance.

"David attacked it," Daphne whispers suddenly, diffusing the argument immediately. Their attention shifts back to her. "Attacked _him_." She corrects herself. "When David hit him, he started screaming."  
"What David, or the mist?" Stark inquires.  
"David..." She takes a breath. "The silver didn't even flinch."  
"Why was David not there when we got there? What happened?" Peter asks carefully.  
"His hand... The silver has this rule and David's hand..." She stares at her own hands as she chokes up.  
"Kid, you're not making sense," Stark says with a light frown before he presses his lips on top of each other.

"You can't touch the silver. He's only allowed to touch you..."  
"Okay, then." Stark tries to sound understanding, but it's not exactly landing.  
"David's hand turned to silver," she breathes. "Solid." They all pause, trying to process what she's saying.  
"Where is he now?" Strange asks. Daphne doesn't answer him. She doesn't want to answer _him._ She knows why she doesn't want to, but she can't seem to explain it. Not even to herself.  
"Daphne, where is he?" Stark tries again.  
"I don't know. He ran away."

"And the mist? What did it- he- do to you?" Peter asks. She remembers it vividly. Everything he did. Every word he said. Yet, when she opens her mouth, nothing comes out. She frowns and closes it. She tries again, thinking clearly of what to say, but her voice just stops working.  
"I- I can't-"  
"Ah, great." Stephen exclaims as he turns away with his hands raised. "He spelled you."  
"What?" Peter looks at Stephen confused. Stephen turns back and puts his hands on his hips.  
"When we arrived, he silenced her." He accusingly gestures to her.  
"Wait, was that what he did with the finger and the dust?"  
"Yep."

"Does this mean she knows exactly what happened, but she can't say it?" Tony asks.  
"Or write, or sing, or draw. No 'yes or no' questions. Even someone who can read minds wouldn't be able to get it out of her." Stephen groans. "Some sorcerers refer to it as the Memory Prison spell. It's... Highly advanced." Tony turns back to Daphne.  
"You really can't tell us what happened?" She looks at him. It's the first time since she got out of the school that she looked into someone's eyes. He looks genuinely worried for her.

Daphne swallows and opens her mouth. Her jaw clenches as she tries to speak and she frowns. A soft sound comes out, but no words. She presses her lips on top of each other and shakes her head.  
"I'm sorry," she says.  
"That's okay, kid. Not your fault." Tony gives her a forced smile.  
"Did he hurt you?" Peter holds her hands in his.  
"No," Daphne says immediately. "He saved me from David."  
"Cheeky asshole," Strange says. "Can't let you talk about what he said and did to you, except for that." Daphne wants to protest and opens her mouth to tell Strange about... About... Ah! His name is right there in her head! It just _won't_ come out! She presses her eyes closed and a frustrated tear runs down her cheek.  
"It's okay, Daph, please don't strain yourself. You don't have to try and explain," Stark puts his hand on her knee and nods as he gets up. "Let's get you to the tower."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So much foreshadowing on something happening to an arm in the first half of this chapter, ayooo.
> 
> I spent so much time thinking about how this Halloween party should go and I hope with all my heart that you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thanks again for sticking with me! <3


	54. Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne and Peter are waiting in the Avengers Tower living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some more fluuuuuff! <3

"Thanks, dad. Love you, bye-" Daphne quickly hangs up the phone. She's currently in the common room of the Avengers Tower and exhaustion is catching up with her. The adrenaline from what happened at the party subsided during the car ride to the Tower. The view is absolutely breath taking: New York by night. It's completely dark outside, except for all the bright, colored lights. It somehow reminds her of the car ride she had with Loki. She clutches her phone to her chest and bites the inside of her cheek.

"You okay?" Peter walks up to her and carefully places a hand on her bare shoulder. She flinches at the touch and doesn't look him. He immediately lets go of her again and stands next to her awkwardly. They're both still in their costumes. Peter knew he shouldn't mention it now, but she still looked beautiful. Like she was actually Persephone.  
"Just lied to my dad about what happened tonight and where I am, so I'm doing absolutely amazing," she snaps. She told her dad she's sleeping over at MJ's and if there's one thing she hates, it's lying to her father.

"I'm sorry..." He looks forward too, not really focusing on anything outside. He didn't want to make her feel awkward by looking at her.  
"Yeah." She takes a breath. "Not your fault." She frowns slightly, still looking out. It's quiet for a second.  
"You wanna talk about it?" Peter mentally kicks himself in the balls. Stupid question.  
"Would if I could." Her jaw is tightened and she sucks at her teeth. "When's Strange leaving?" Peter turns his head to her.  
"He still has to check up on y-"  
"No."  
"No?"  
"I don't want him near me." She's being awfully direct.

"Wha- Why?" Peter turns his entire body to her. She hasn't moved a muscle. Her jaw tightens further and she breathes. Peter frowns. "Can't say?"  
"Can't say."  
"He's a good guy, you know that right? He's with us." Peter reaches out for her again and this time she lets him touch her arm. It feels cold under his touch.  
"I don't-" Her voice is cut off and her mouth is left opened. A pained noise comes from her throat as she tries to push out the words. She presses her lips on top of each other in frustration. Peter's eyebrows curl. His thumb caresses her skin slowly.

"You don't trust him?" She finally turns her head to look at Peter. She can't reply, but somehow the look in her eyes says enough. "Did the mist tell you, you can't trust him?" She wants to nod. But she can't. She just stares at him, her head stuck in place.  
"Right. No 'yes or no' questions."  
"Right..." She mumbles as her head turns back to look outside. Peter bites his bottom lip and sniffs as he lets go of her.

"I should've gone with you."  
"To the bathroom?" Daphne cocks an eyebrow.  
"Yeah." Peter nods. "I shouldn't have let you go by yourself."  
"That's all hindsight, Pete," she scoffs. "I don't need help peeing."  
"But Davi-"  
"David wasn't supposed to be there." She fixes her posture. "Neither was that mist."  
"I promised you I'd keep you safe and I keep breaking that promise." His voice cracks. Daphne turns to him.

"I don't need a babysitter. And you saved me. So, no apologies and no guilty feelings. Kay?" He stares into her eyes, feeling tears at the back of his own. His shoulders droop defeated.  
"But the mist-" She squeezes his shoulders with her hands.  
"Kay?" She asks again with a stern look on her face. His bottom lip quivers. There's a beat.  
"Kay," he mumbles. Daphne sighs and lets go of his arms, only to pull him in for a hug.  
"Why the fuck does this crap keep happening to us." Her voice sounds muffled in his chest. He embraces her and lets his hands rest on her neck and hair.  
"I wish I knew."

Peter and Daphne end up sitting on the cold stone floor next to the window. Stark still hasn't come back from whatever he's up to and they're getting bored of waiting. Daphne's looking outside when Peter gently starts tugging at the pins in her hair, much like when they did the upside-down kiss. Daphne realizes he must really like her hair. She remembers the way he watched her when she was putting in her bun during their first private training together and whenever they kiss his hands always end up tugging at her strands, tangling his fingers in them.  
"Is this okay?" he mutters. She nods slowly.  
"Yeah..."

Daphne moves so she's sitting with her shoulder against the glass and Peter shuffles to sit behind her. She scoots between his legs so he has better access to her head. He carefully takes out one pin at a time, making sure he doesn't pull out even one hair. It takes a lot of self-control and restraint to be this delicate, but Peter decides to see it as a challenge. He places the pins on the floor next to him.

Daphne closes her eyes and enjoys the way he plays with her hair. It's comforting and sweet. The way his fingers feel on her head is something she never thought she needed until now. He holds onto the braid when he takes out the last pin and gently brings the braid down to her back. His hands creep up to the laurel crown on top of her head and he takes if off, putting it with all the pins. The braid's hair tie also ends up with the pins on the floor and he takes apart the braid strand by strand, de-tangling her hair by pulling his fingers through. It feels heavenly.

Daphne has to remind herself to stay upright and not fall asleep. When Peter reaches her scalp, he slowly takes his hands out her hair and takes any strays out of her face, tugging them behind her ears. She makes a discontent noise when she feels his hands moving further away from her head, which Peter meets with a chuckle.  
"All done."  
"Nooo..." She whines as she leans back into him, nice and snug.  
"I can't play with your hair forever," he presses his lips on her crown and smirks into her hair, taking in the smell of her trademarked shampoo: _pomegranate_.  
"Please, try..." she sighs. It sounds like she's falling asleep. He wraps his arms around her and holds her close to him.

"Forever's a long time, Daph," he mutters as he squishes his cheek by resting it on top of her head.  
"Forever's all I want with you..." Daphne mumbles. Peter flushes a bright red. She always says things like this when she's sleep-drunk, but this stuff catches him off-guard every single time. He hums in agreement and closes his eyes, hearing her steady breaths and slow heartbeat. So much has happened. It doesn't even feel like it all happened today. Peter's grateful Daphne finally came down from her shock, enough so to fall asleep with him. He wants to stay right here with her too. _Forever._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading! <3


	55. Encore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nuveth's not yet done. Stephen is acting... Strange........

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy the chapter! The banter between Stark and Strange is super fun to write.

"Ugh." Stephen voices his disgust for what's happening in the living room of Avengers Tower. Tony and Stephen were keeping an eye on Peter and Daphne via CCTV while discussing their plan of action. Peter and Daphne had just fallen asleep in each other's arms next to the window. "Teens."  
"As if you've never been in love," Tony quips back.  
"Don't go there, Stark," Stephen scoffs. "Besides; they're kids. They'll be fed up with each other in less than a year and find the next person who makes their hormones go haywire."  
"I take it back. You've never been in love."

Tony puts his feet on his desk and leans back in his chair. Stephen decides this banter is not worth his time right now.  
"I need to find this mist." He turns away from Tony and walks to the door. "I'm going to see what it did to her. She probably knows where it went."  
"Not sure if you heard their conversation but she doesn't want you near her at the moment." Stark cocks an eyebrow.  
"Oh, boohoo." He opens the door and walks through the hallway towards the elevator. "Don't care."

Tony bolts out of his chair to follow him.  
"What the hell is up with you?" Stark catches up with Stephen, but has to take big strides to keep up with him.  
"That mist is still out there somewhere and it's my duty to protect."  
"Oh, and it's not mine?" Stark raises his eyebrows. Stephen calls for the elevator.  
"Shut up, Stark. You give yourself responsibility. I have it."  
"Ouch." Tony pauses and blinks as they step into the elevator. The doors close agonizingly slowly. Tony coughs. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., deny doctor Stephen Strange access to the penthouse living quarters and stop the elevator."

Stephen clenches his jaw and sends Tony an aggravated look.  
"I don't need this elevator to get up there, you know that."  
"I just want you to take a second and think, Strange." They both stare at each other. "We know the mist said some things to her. What could it possibly have said that made her so wary of you so suddenly?" He asks the question rhetorically, Stephen realizes. Tony already knows the answer. Stephen looks away and groans.  
"She knows what she is."  
"Exactly." Stark points at Stephen's chest with both his index fingers. "If you want her to trust you, you should probably not force anything on her right now."

"How else am I supposed to figure out where the mist is?"  
"Can't you meditate on it?"  
"It's not that simp-"  
"Tony, there is an unidentifiable presence in the penthouse living quarters." F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s voice echoes through the un-moving elevator. Tony and Stephen immediately tense up and Tony orders the elevator to go up at double speed. He takes a breath and shoots a glance at Strange.  
"Maybe it is that simple."

...

The silver mist creeps into the penthouse and spots Daphne and Peter, sleeping peacefully against the window. It eases its way to them and tickles at their feet. Peter's senses make him wake up with a jolt, but before he can process what's going on, he's blinded by the mist and immediately lulled back to sleep. Daphne hadn't woken yet and the mist surrounds them both.

Daphne feels hazy. It's like there's a fog in her head. Or the mist... Is it back? She tries to wake up, but it's holding her under. It feels nice, though. Pleasant. It feels the same as when Loki put her to sleep. She can feel Peter's arms still wrapped around her body. It makes her not want to wake up. Her neck and jaw tickle. She's unsure if it's Peter's breathing that she's feeling, or that it's something else. She hears shouts in the distance, but she's somehow un-bothered by them.

"Move away from the kids, now!" Tony orders. Strangely enough, the mist seems to turn to him and Stephen, even though it has no physical form.  
_"I am not your enemy."_ Its voice makes Tony's face contort. It's weird and distant. It echoes.  
"Then prove it to us by moving away from them." Stephen takes a threatening step forward. Orange magic circles his hands.  
_"I have nothing to prove,"_ the voice says simply.  
"Then tell us what you're doing to them." Tony doesn't pose it as a question. The mist seems to turn its attention back to Daphne and Peter.

_"I am keeping the gifted boy asleep. I didn't want him attacking me as I heal her."_  
"Heal her?" Tony takes a step forward.  
_"The other one. He was hurting her when I approached her."_ Tony's eyes shoot to the bruising on her neck and jaw, which seems to be disappearing slowly.  
"What did you do to him?" Stephen asks carefully.  
_"Whatever _he_ did, he brought upon himself. His arm is now silver. For good."_  
"Daphne mentioned a rule?" Tony shouldn't be milking this as much as he is, but he needs answers. Maybe the silver will tell him more. Maybe they can help David. The mist chuckles softly.  
_"I may only touch you. You are not to touch me,"_ it says. _"My physical form, at least."_

"Do you know where the boy went? With the silver arm?" Tony keeps the interrogation going. He needs answers. Stat.  
_"No."_  
"What did you tell her that she can't tell us?" Stephen straightens his back.  
_"If I told you, I would've spelled her for naught, sorcerer. I warned her about you and others alike."_ The mist starts thinning around the teens and moves towards Strange, who tightens his fists. _"The more time you spend around her, the more tempted you will be to use her."_ Tony glances at Stephen, who noticeably holds his breath. _"She will not be ready for a little while. But when she is, you have to stay away from her."_  
"I decide what I do and don't do." Strange is starting to grow frustrated with the mist.  
_"Her safety depends on your self-control."_  
"I have self-control," Stephen hisses.  
_"For her sake, I hope you do."_

The mist turns back to Daphne and Peter and audibly sighs. It sounds weird, coming from something without a body. _"I have done all that needed to be done and said all that needed to be said. I will be leaving earth."_  
"No, you're not done yet." Tony takes a step towards the mist. "Tell us what you told her." The mist laughs softly as it starts to evaporate.  
_"No."_  
"Strange, stop it from leaving!" The tension in the room rises rapidly as Strange throws some spells at it. Nothing seems to work.  
"I don't know how?!"  
"God DAMMIT! F.R.I.D.A.Y., shut all ventilation systems!"  
"Done." The computer voice echoes through the empty room. The mist was already gone.

"Shit," Tony says through gritted teeth as he shoots Strange a glare.  
"Woah! What happened?!" They both look at Peter who's completely tensed up, staring at the two men with wide eyes. "What the-" Daphne is jolted awake by Peter's sudden movements.  
"Wha-?" She blinks a few times and it takes a second for her to realize where she is. Tony immediately rushes towards his kids. Okay, they're not his kids, but they're _his_ kids.  
"Are you okay?"  
"Yeah?" Daphne scoots away from Peter, dragging her chiffon dress along with her.

Peter awkwardly pulls in his legs and stares at Daphne's neck.  
"Daph, your-" he interrupts himself and slowly gestures at her neck. She reaches up to her jaw.  
"It's not sore anymore," she mumbles as she moves her hand to where David had sucked the hickey. It's gone too. She turns to Tony.  
"What the hell happened?"  
"The mist came back. Kept Peter asleep. Healed you. Said it's going to leave earth." Tony breaks it down to its bare essentials, purposefully leaving out some details. It's quiet for a second.

"Okay..." Daphne stares ahead, still feeling at her neck. Tony bites the inside of his cheek and sighs defeated. He pats her knee and stands up, offering Daphne his hand and glancing at Peter.  
"Let's get you out of that costume, before the mist decides it wants to do another encore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! <3


	56. Chat Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony tries to help Daphne with her trauma by letting her chat with his AI.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How does one write an interesting conversation with an AI that has no physical presence in the room lol. Lots of ping pong dialogue. I'm sorry if it's difficult to read, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless!

"These are Wanda's." Tony holds up some sweats and a tank top. "She's in Edinburgh; she won't miss them. Figured you'd fit her clothes cause she's tiny too." The clothes are soft and Daphne gratefully takes them from him. She's ready to rip off this dress. Peter was sent to his own room by Tony and Doctor Strange didn't even look at her in the living quarters. He just left through one of his portals without saying goodbye.

Tony and Daphne are currently standing in what looks like a hotel room. Basic. Well, Stark basic. It's incredibly luxurious and modern, but there is nothing in the room that makes it look like it's someone's home. The colors are light shades of brown and white. In the middle of the room stands a king bed with lots of pillows on it. The room is quite spacious, but not super big. And it's cosy, sure, but there's an emptiness to it. It lacks personality.

Tony sucks his teeth and takes a breath.  
"So, uh, get comfy-" He pauses to point at the door at the other side of the room. "Bathroom's there. Cupboard's got soaps and towels." He turns to the wall opposite the bed. "TV's there, same for the sound system-"  
"Thanks, but I'm probably just gonna sleep," Daphne says apologetically. "Or at least try." Stark raises his eyebrows and nods.  
"Fair enough." He places his hand on the door knob. "If you need anything you can ask F.R.I.D.A.Y." He stretches his back and opens the door.

"You've got a higher clearance than you did before, but no ghosting around at night, kay?" Tony says. Daphne looks at him confused. Why give her clearance if she's not allowed to walk around? Tony uses his head to gesture to the floor. "There are a couple residents with major anxiety and PTSD. One floor down from here is paranoia paradise, so please: no snooping around at night."  
"Don't worry, I'm not adventurous." She frowns. "At least not tonight."  
"Good. Good." He starts to walk out.

"Mr. Stark?" Tony turns back to Daphne.  
"Hm?" Tony leans against the door frame and crosses his arms.  
"Why give me clearance if I'm not allowed to go anywhere?"  
"It's a hassle to keep having to fill you in as a guest with a one floor clearing if you keep visiting. I've given you the same privileges Pete has. Saves me the trouble of remembering where you can and can't go. Just don't go wandering at night."

Daphne doesn't really know how to reply. She wants to say thanks, but she doesn't want it to sound weird. She looks at the clothes she's clutching against her chest. Tony shoots her a worried glance, but she doesn't notice.  
"Are you really okay?" Daphne presses her lips on top of each other.  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."  
"Fine is a dangerous word, Daph. Don't use it." She looks up at him with her eyebrows curled into a frown. He stands up straight and spreads his arms. "I started using it after Afghanistan and look where it got me."

...

Peter lies on his bed in his own room at Avengers Tower. His foot taps compulsively and he's staring at the ceiling. Daphne's a few doors down. Too far. He doesn't want her to be alone. Not after what happened tonight. The mist said it would be leaving earth. But what if it doesn't? What if it said that to put them on the wrong path?

Peter turns to his side and closes his eyes. He needs to at least try to get some sleep. His mind keeps racing back to Daphne. He has to protect her, he promised her he would. He can't break that promise again. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if anything happened to her. He groans as he turns to lay on his back and he stares at the ceiling. He can't sleep. Not tonight.

...

"F.R.I.D.A.Y.?"  
"Yes, Daphne?"  
"Where's Peter?" Daphne stares at the ceiling.  
"He's in room 56-2." Daphne frowns.  
"Where am I?"  
"You are in room 56-6," the voice replies. Daphne pushes her tongue against her teeth.  
"Can I go to him?"  
"You have clearance for this entire floor. But you promised Tony you wouldn't leave the room, so I'd advise against it." The AI drones. Daphne sighs.

Daphne knows what she promised, but she's not exactly comfortable. She took the quickest shower ever. Not wanting to be nude for long. What if anything happened while she was still naked? She doesn't want people to barge in while she's not wearing anything.

Wanda's clothes are nice and soft. Yet they itch. Daphne suspects it's not the clothing that's making her iffy, but the lack of people around her. Or, well, the lack of Peter. She feels unprotected. Even though she's in one of the best secured buildings in the entire world.

Daphne didn't expect F.R.I.D.A.Y. to sound so... human. Even her inflection and figure of speech are like Daphne's talking to a regular person.  
"What other floors do I have clearance for?"  
"It's a long list. Do you want me to name every floor number?" Daphne gulps.  
"No, thanks." She cocks an eyebrow, too curious to keep herself from asking. "What are you?"  
"What am I?" F.R.I.D.A.Y. asks back. Oddly enough, she sounds slightly amused.  
"Yeah?"  
"I am a natural-language user interface." Daphne's eyes ghost over the ceiling.  
"So, if I talk slang, you'd understand me?"  
"To an extent. I am mostly used to Tony's way of speaking."  
"Fair."

Daphne hates to admit she doesn't feel as alone right now. The AI is keeping her company, in a way.   
"Sorry for asking so much."  
"That's alright." Daphne's quiet for a little bit. "Tony talks to me too when he feels alone."  
"Do you have emotions? Feelings?"  
"Not like you do."  
"How then?"  
"Mr. Stark programmed me to convey emotion in my words, but I do not feel them."  
"Isn't that frustrating?" Daphne feels stupid for asking if the AI, who just told her she doesn't feel emotions, feels an emotion.  
"Not to me, Daphne," F.R.I.D.A.Y. sounds amused again.  
"You can call me Daph."  
"Noted." Daphne scoffs at herself for having a conversation like this. With a robot. A computer. But it's keeping her mind off things, so she keeps going.

"Do you have a face?"  
"Not really. Though, Tony imagines I'm red-headed."  
"Like Pepper?"  
"Most likely." Daphne smiles softly and turns to lie on her back. She flinches slightly when her back makes contact with the mattress. Her scar is still a little sensitive. "Is everything alright?"  
"Yeah, no worries. Scar stings. The usual."  
"Please let me know if you need help with anything."  
"Will do, F.R.I." Daphne eases into the mattress. It's so soft, she feels like she's sinking into it.

"You told me a lot about Mr. Stark."  
"He asked me to be open with you."  
"So, you tell me about what he says to you?"  
"Tony has multiple mental health issues as a result of the traumatic experiences he's gone through. He wants you to feel understood and hopes this can be achieved by opening up to you through me." What a dad. Daphne smiles, though. She didn't exactly expect him to ever properly care about her. This proves her wrong.

"Peter has anxiety too," Daphne says simply. "Does he help Peter as well?"  
"He tries."  
"Tries?"  
"Peter has difficulty opening up about his trauma, but they connect on multiple levels, including their past experiences. It's why they have such a strong bond. Their parents-"  
"No, no, please don't tell me this stuff- This is private!" Daphne puts a pillow over her face to hide it, embarrassed that she even asked about Peter. She covers her ears by pushing the pillow against her head.  
"Noted."

"Next time you talk to him, tell Mr. Stark that your open is a little too open." Daphne's voice sounds muffled through the pillow.  
"I will let him know." Daphne takes the pillow off her face and looks at the ceiling again. Guilt washes over her.  
"Sorry I yelled."  
"Don't worry. I don't feel, remember?"  
"Still..." Daphne stops talking for a little bit, trying to collect her thoughts.

"Do you help Mr. Stark fall asleep?" Daphne covers herself with the bed sheets. They're poofy and soft.  
"He has insomnia. He doesn't sleep much, generally."  
"But do you help him?"  
"We've tried many things. Nothing works."  
"Do you think you can help me sleep?"  
"That depends on what you need." Daphne pouts as she thinks.  
"Do you have ballet music on your drive?"  
"I am capable of monitoring the Internet in its entirety. I'm sure I can find a ballet for you to listen to. Any preferences?"  
"Something slow."

"I have found a good quality playlist for Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake." Peter's favorite.  
"Perfect." Daphne hugs one of the excess pillows like a koala and sighs. She's _so_ tired. The introduction to Swan Lake starts.  
"Is the volume alright?" Daphne nods into the pillow, but she's unsure if F.R.I.D.A.Y. can register that.  
"Mhm-hm," she sighs. "Thanks."  
"You're welcome."  
"Night, F.RI.D.A.Y."  
"Good night, Daph."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't write tonight, so I quickly wrote this during a break. Minimal editing. Hope you enjoyed it! <3


	57. Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning at Avengers Tower. Daphne runs her mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy the chapter! <3

"F.R.I.D.A.Y.?" Daphne whispers from underneath the sheets. She's been awake for hours now. She's honestly not even sure if she slept at all. Her mind raced to everything the silver mist told her yesterday. She can't voice what he said to her, but she knows it. And it confuses her. Why not explain what she really is? Why just tell her the name of what she is, when she has no clue what that name means? It frustrates her. Incredibly. To Daphne's surprise, the AI heard her and replies:  
"Yes, Daph?"  
"Can I leave the room yet?"  
"Yes, it is late enough for you to leave your room."  
"What time is it?"  
"Just after eight."

...

Peter is startled by three soft knocks on his door. He hadn't slept much that night. Two, three hours tops.  
"Come in." His voice is hoarse and he hides his body under the blankets. When the door opens, he senses her immediately. He throws the sheets away from him and leaps off the bed towards her. He's wearing a white T-shirt and checkered pants.

Peter urges Daphne inside and closes the door with his bare foot, holding her face in both his hands.   
"Daph," he whispers. Daphne closes her eyes for a few seconds, grateful to be near him again, and places her hands on top of his.  
"You look tired," she mumbles.  
"Barely slept."  
"Me neither," she says softly.

Peter can't help himself and presses a soft kiss on her lips. Daphne parts her lips, inviting Peter in. Their foreheads connect and they breathe into each other's mouths. Both of them suddenly shiver in disgust and open their eyes. They immediately let go of and step away from each other.  
"Blagh!" Peter exclaims.  
"Fuck, Pete, you got horrible morning breath!"  
"So do you!"  
"Dis-GUS-ting!" Daphne yelps. Peter can't help but laugh and Daphne joins in. "Note to self: brush teeth first thing." She chortles and grabs his hands again to pull him in for a hug. She rests her head against his chest and sighs happily. "Much better."  
"Mmm..." Peter makes a content noise and breathes in her scent as he places his head on hers, embracing her.

Peter frowns into Daphne's hair. Stark doesn't have pomegranate shampoo, so she doesn't smell the way she usually does. They stand there for a while, too tired to move. Peter gently plays with her tangled hair until he hears her stomach rumble quietly. Peter mumbles.  
"How about we go make some pancakes?"  
"You know how to make pancakes?" Daphne chuckles.  
"Well, someone in the Parker household needs to know how to cook."

Peter smiles and softly pulls at one of the tangles in her hair until it's straightened out. Daphne makes a muffled scoff into his chest.  
"But are your pancakes any good?"  
"The best in Avengers Tower."  
"Are you saying no one in this building knows how to cook?" She snorts.  
"Hey, ouch! Mean!" He pushes himself away from her to look at her with a wide grin as he holds her shoulders. She pouts, but there's a mischievous gleam in her eyes.  
"Food?" She says simply. Peter has to hold in his laugh at her tone. It was almost seductive.  
"Food."

...

The main living quarters of Avengers Tower are still empty. The morning runners probably already had their breakfast and everyone else would be sleeping in. It is Saturday after all. Peter and Daphne make their way to the open kitchen. It's super high tech and Daphne's rather intimidated by all the possibilities. Peter seems to know his way around the kitchen as he immediately opens all the right cupboards to get the needed appliances. Daphne leans against the kitchen island and Peter opens the fridge.

"Do we got the eeeggs~" Daphne sings, referencing a vine and hoping Peter catches on.  
"Yeah, we got the eeeggs~" He grins as he grabs the eggs out of the fridge and placing them on the counter.  
"Do we got the miiilk~" Daphne continues with a wide smile on her face. Peter grabs the milk from the fridge and closes it before putting it onto the counter as well.  
"Yeah, we got the miiilk~"  
"Please, don't wreck my fridge." Daphne and Peter turn to look at Tony Stark, who's entering the large open room. They both stare at him amused. _Did... Did he get that reference?_ "Morning, by the way."  
"Morning, Mr. Stark," Daphne says politely. She glances at Peter, who's still collecting ingredients.  
"Hey, Mr. Stark."

"So," Tony starts. He walks by Daphne and drops himself onto one of the bar stools at the kitchen island. "What's for breakfast?"  
"Pancakes," Daphne says with a grin. She moves towards Peter to help him mix the ingredients in the bowl.  
"Good stuff," Stark grins. He leans forward onto the kitchen island, resting his chin in his hand and pointing at the mixing bowl with his other hand. "Is there enough batter in there for three?"  
"My pancake batter is like when I cook spaghetti," Peter replies with pursed lips. "I always somehow end up with too much." Both Daphne and Tony snort at the comment and Daphne shakes her head with a smile.

Peter looks around the counter and spots the egg carton right next to Daphne.  
"Could you pass me another egg? It's still too flour-y." Peter stretches out his hand to Daphne, who takes an egg and hands it to him carefully. He cracks it, but Daphne notices a little bit of egg shell falling into the batter.  
"You better take that out," Daphne comments. Peter laughs as he looks at the little bit of shell, floating in the egg that rests on top of the batter.  
"Why? I like the extra cronch." Daphne butts into him and starts poking at the shell in the mixing bowl.  
"Pete, not all of us have Spider-Acid in our stomachs." Peter and Daphne suck in their breath and freeze.

"'Scuse me?" Stark raises his eyebrows. "What did you just say?" Daphne slowly looks up at Tony, her own eyebrows also raised.  
"I think you know what I said," she says quickly.  
"So, _you_ know?" Daphne nods slowly, but then abruptly shakes her head. She raises her hands in front of both her and Peter – who was still frozen in place – in defense.  
"He didn't tell me," she rambles. "I found out myself." Tony's serious look turns into a grin.  
"Figured you would at some point. Kid's not great at lying."  
"Hey!" Peter finally joins the conversation again, sounding slightly offended.

"I personally think it was just me not being bright enough to catch onto it sooner," Daphne laughs sheepishly.  
"Hey!" Peter exclaims again as he turns to Daphne.  
"I'm sorry if you didn't want me to find out, Mr. Stark." Daphne looks down into the pancake batter bowl, but she didn't expect Tony to start laughing.  
"I'm Iron Man," he says simply. "I care the least about secret identities in this entire building. The only reason I didn't tell you, was because Peter needs it to be a secret so he can at least try and live a normal life out there."  
"And to keep everyone I care about safe," Peter adds.  
"Exactly." Tony nods at Peter and turns his attention back to Daphne. "Just don't blurt that stuff out anywhere else."  
"I won't, I promise," Daphne says with her hands together.

They probably shouldn't mention Madame Touha. Tony might lose his mind if he finds out a random director of a ballet school knows about Peter being Spider-Man. It's quiet for a second as they all collect their thoughts.  
"Alright!" Tony claps his hands not much later. He rolls up his sleeves and stands up from the stool. "Let me help you with those pancakes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 's Been such a long day! It's time for sleep! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	58. Birthday Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Daphne's birthday and Peter and his friends seem to have devised some sort of plan behind her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small time skip coming up halfway through the chapter!

Stark had Bruce check on Daphne’s physical health before he allowed her to leave. Tony made her put his number on speed dial, if any emergencies happened to occur again. Apparently, Strange had confirmed that the mist had indeed left earth, so they didn’t need to be super wary anymore. Daphne decided to not voice that she’d rather have another word with the mist. He knows more about her than she does. He has answers. Now she’s just left with questions and she absolutely hates it. Her mind had raced to Loki. He probably knows more too. She made a mental note to ask him when he visits in November. If she even could with that stupid spell resting on her.

Fortunately, Daphne remembered she had her extra pointe class that Saturday. Madame Touha was going to teach her the basic choreography for Swanilda. The quicker she had the solo down, the more time she would have to focus on the pas de deux with Peter. He needs all the extra help he can get. They only have two months left to study the choreography and practice all the difficult stuff and Peter still had a long way to go.

Peter walked Daphne to the ballet school and she’d urged him to not come in. Madame Touha hates it when people come in to just sit and watch, so she doesn’t allow it.  
“What time are you done? I can pick you up if you want,” Peter asks as he holds on to both her hands. Daphne glances inside, hoping Madame Touha isn’t watching them.  
“I don’t know, Pete. Could be two hours, could be later tonight…”  
“I could wait outside?”  
“Please don’t,” she replies softly. “I know you’re shaken up from what happened yesterday, but if I can’t do anything alone anymore, I’d combust on the spot. I only just got rid of David.” The joke didn’t land right and Peter frowns. Did she just compare him being protective to her stalker? He can see on her face that she didn’t like the comment she blurted out either. “I- I didn’t mean it like that,” she adds quickly.  
“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” he mumbles in a serious tone. He takes a step closer to her and she smiles apologetically at him, thankful that he didn’t address her comment.  
“I know, I know. But the mist is gone.” She presses a kiss on his hands. “Go on patrol or something. Get your mind off things.”  
“Bu-“  
“I’m going to do the same,” she interrupts him. She gestures with her head towards the ballet school and takes a breath. She looks down and bites the inside of her cheek. “I’m sorry for making you worry.” His hands immediately let go of hers so he can hold her face.  
“It’s okay, Daph. Really.” His thumbs caress her cheekbones and she closes her eyes.  
“I’m just trying to get things back to normal as fast as possible. And that involves doing things by myself.” She opens her eyes to look at his concerned face.  
“I understand.”  
“I’m sorry.”  
“Don’t be,” he mutters. Before he can say something else, she presses her lips against his in a smooth, soft kiss. His hands let go of her face and he wraps his arms around her. Her hands roam over his body until she can pull him in for a tight hug. Daphne chuckles when their mouths disconnect. She licks her teeth with her mouth closed, tasting the mint of his tooth paste.  
“Yeah, I like our kisses better after we brush our teeth.”

…

Daphne got her wish. Everything went back to normal at an almost alarming rate. Nothing special happened for weeks on end. Peter improved rapidly with the choreography and before the fourth pas de deux class was over, they were already practicing the infamous shoulder sit. Homework was difficult, but what else is new at Midtown Tech. It became a habit for Peter and Daphne to spend Sundays together to do homework, as he tends to patrol on Saturday and Daphne has her private classes with Madame Touha. Depending on whose house they were studying at, they always stayed over for dinner and spent the evenings just hanging out and talking. Occasionally, Daphne would try to bring up what happened at the Halloween party, hoping the spell would wear off over time. Unfortunately, it didn’t. She even ended up in tears once; the frustration of her uncooperative brain becoming too much. Peter told her to not try anymore. That it was okay. That answers would come when it was time. Daphne didn’t want to wait for that, but she can’t do much about it. 

…

Daphne turns off her alarm with a groan and turns around in her bed. Thursday, November 29th.  
“Happy birthday, Daph,” she mumbles to herself before she forces herself to sit upright. She really wants to have a word with whomever invented mornings. She scrolls through her phone for a bit, replying to all the birthday wishes.

_Knock, knock._

Daphne looks up at where the sound came from and a smile spreads across her face. She gets out of her bed to open the window for none other than Spider-Man.  
“Morning, dove,” he says quietly to make sure he won’t wake up Derek. Before he can put his mask over his mouth and press a kiss on hers, she rushes to the bathroom. “Wha-“  
“Morning breath,” she chuckles. Spider-Man nods once.  
“Aha.” She can hear him smile as he says that. He cheekily follows her into the bathroom. 

Peter’s never actually been there before. He looks around, Karen automatically gives him information about every product in there. He ignores it, until she makes note of one specific bottle in the tub. He smirks, making sure he will remember the brand of shampoo she uses. That damned pomegranate smell still makes him lose his mind. At least when it’s on her head. He brings his attention back to her and wraps his arms around her waist, hugging her from the back, while she brushes her teeth. His head comes down to rest on her shoulder.  
“Awmost done,” Daphne says with her toothbrush in her mouth. She laughs softly when Spider-Man starts nuzzling her neck. His lenses turn to slits and he presses his fingers into her sides. She jolts and holds in a shriek. “Stawp, t-tickles!”  
“Hurry up, theeen,” he whines. “I wanna kiss the birthday girl.” She quickly finishes up and cocks an eyebrow at him as she turns to face Spider-Man. He left his mask on, on purpose. He knows she likes to pull it off his head. She told him two weeks ago that, to her, it makes up for all the times she’s been wanting to rip it off his head when she didn’t know who he was yet.

She starts pushing him backwards, out of the small bathroom. He lets her, even though it would take him zero effort to stop her. He eventually hits the bed and sits down on it. She climbs on top of him and looks into the lenses. Spider-Man holds his breath, waiting for the sweet moment where she takes off his mask and finally kisses him. Instead of doing the expected, she presses a long kiss between his lenses. And a kiss on his left cheek. And a kiss on his right cheek. He chuckles at the attention. She keeps pressing soft pecks over his entire face and Peter thanks the stars when she finally starts tugging at his mask. 

Her feet come together behind his back and she presses her body flush against his. She places a kiss at the edge of the mask. Peter shivers when her lips brush against the skin of his neck and she starts pulling up the mask over his mouth first. Her hands push under the mask at the back of his head and tug at his curls. Peter sighs into her mouth and closes his eyes, grateful when their lips finally connect into a sweet kiss. Or well, minty-fresh. He smiles against her and licks at her lips. She lets him in and their tongues dance. He holds her in a tight embrace, while she tugs the mask off his head and drops it behind him. They’re both panting now and he can taste the toothpaste in her mouth. He slowly starts moving back, bringing her with him until he’s laying down with her hovering above him. She’s holding herself up on her knees and elbows as her hands find their way into his hair. He does the same, tangling his fingers into the knots in her hair.

After a minute or two, they finally break the kiss and she lets herself fall down next to him. He turns to lie opposite her and presses his forehead against hers. Their breaths are still quick and deep and they smile.  
“Happy birthday, dove.”

…

Peter said she would have to wait for her present until that night, which is the absolute worst thing someone could say to Daphne. She’s bad with surprises and she’s bad with knowing there are going to be surprises. It’ll be hard to think about anything but whatever Peter might have in store for her that evening. The only class that kind of caught her attention that day was history. It’s one of the few times she shares a table with Peter and the entire class was going to be doing a big project on Ancient Greece. Everyone knows the main Gods and Goddesses, so the teacher wanted them to go more in depth on the lesser known parts of the mythology. To their luck, Peter and Daphne were paired up and all subjects would be e-mailed to them on Saturday.

“When’s the party, Daph?” MJ drops her tray next to Daphne at the lunch table.  
“I don’t really do birthday parties.” Daphne says apologetically while slowly raising her shoulders.  
“Cool, me neither. Saves us both the hassle.” MJ smirks and takes a big bite of her mashed potatoes. She pulls a face and Daphne laughs.  
“Why do you always get mashed potatoes even though you don’t like them?”  
“It’s a long story,” MJ says with her mouth full. “Not worth it.” Daphne takes a bite of her own food and chuckles.  
“Alright, alright.”  
“By the way-“ MJ interrupts herself as she rummages through her bag. She takes out a worn USB-stick. “It’s not much, but it’s something.” She holds out the USB-stick to Daphne, who takes it with a confused look on her face.  
“What is it?”  
“Just a couple of full HD ballets I managed to, eh… Download.” MJ winks. “You might need one of them tonight.” Daphne raises her eyebrows and stops in her tracks.  
“Wha-?”  
“Happy seventeeth, Daph!” Ned interrupts Daphne by punching her softly in the shoulder. Betty’s right behind him with a cute tote bag, that seems stuffed with food.  
“Happy birthday!” Betty says with a bright smile, offering Daphne the bag. “Saw you always carry around a tote bag, so I figured you wouldn’t mind a spare one!” Daphne takes it and stares at the bag with wonder. Its design is simple. The silhouette of a ballerina en pointe, doing an arabesque. A big smile spreads on Daphne’s face.  
“Oh my God, I love it!” She looks back up at Betty. “Thank you so much!” Her attention then shifts to the contents of the bag. She spots all kinds of different snacks. Chips, Twizzlers and sweet popcorn. There are also two bottles of fizzy drinks. She looks up at Ned with a smile and a frown.  
“That’s my part of the gift,” Ned says proudly. “For tonight.” He wiggles his eyebrows, making Daphne snort. "Treat yoself!" Daphne now laughs out loud and places the bag next to her. She stands up and hugs them all, thanking them for their presents, though MJ is a bit awkward about it. Whatever Peter was planning for tonight, all of their friends knew about it and that made Daphne all the more excited for it. And maybe a little nervous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Peter planning?? 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
> 
> There will be more time skips in the future. We're gonna have to get to Somm-er COUGH I mean Summer at some point, right? 👀👀👀👀👀👀


	59. Pointe Shoes and Spider Webs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter has a birthday surprise for Daphne after their pas de deux class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE TITLE OF THE FIC IS NOW OFFICIALLY ALSO THE TITLE OF A CHAPTER CAUSE BOTH PETE AND DAPH REALIZE SOMETHING BIG AND IT HAS TO DO WITH BOTH THESE THINGS. I hope you have as much fun reading this as I had writing it. Warm, fuzzy feelings all 'round!
> 
> Also we're getting to 100k words and o h m y g o d. I can't believe I've already written so much.

"Happy birthday, Daphne," Madame Touha says with a smile. Daphne is warming up when Madame Touha walks in.  
"Thanks, Madame!"  
"Where's Peter?" Daphne frowns at Madame Touha's tone. She said it with a smile. It sounded like she knew something was afoot.  
"He told me he needed to do some stuff at Avengers Tower before coming to class. He should be here soon!" Daphne smiles nervously.

Daphne's stomach has been doing flips all afternoon for whatever Peter had planned for her and the mischievous gleam in Madame Touha's eyes prove that she also knows what's going to happen. Or at least knows Peter has a surprise for Daphne. As if on cue, Peter barges in.  
"Sorry, I'm late!" He's panting. He probably swung to the ballet school.  
"You're not, actually." Madame Touha cocks an eyebrow at him.  
"Oh, really? Cool-" He rushes back out to the changing room without saying hi and Daphne stops stretching. She stands up straight and crosses her arms, cocking her head at Madame Touha.

"He's up to something, Madame, and I hate it." Madame Touha chuckles.  
"Oh, I know." She waves with her hand.  
"Please, tell me something about it. Anything? Please!" Daphne pleads. Madame Touha shakes her head and a spark of betrayal shoots through Daphne. "Gah, mean! You know I hate surprises."  
"You'll love this one." Madame Touha raises her eyebrows and Daphne groans out loud. She decides to focus on warming up again, but she grumbles through the entire process.

Not much later, Peter walks back in. Madame Touha walks to the sound system and plugs in her phone. She scrolls through it, taking her sweet time finding the file and Daphne shoots a glance at Peter. He's got a cheeky grin on his face and he's not looking at her. She really wants to punch him. "Alright, let's start with the pas de chat lifts today."

...

They finally finished learning the entire choreography properly. All that is left now, is making it look perfect. It had taken Peter a few classes, but he's completely comfortable with Daphne in his hands now. He knows exactly what he can and can't do. As expected, lifting her was his favorite thing to do. His goal was to make this pas de deux as easy for her to perform as possible.

Peter started to notice that he loves listening to her dance, in addition to watching her. The sound her pointe shoes make on the wood flooring is music to his ears. The way she manages to land so softly when she leaps is still a mystery to him, but whenever he got to watch her practice some moves without him, he'd be completely entranced by her. She is the most graceful person he's ever met.

Daphne is already so pretty to him when they're in regular clothes; when they're not dancing. But she somehow manages to elevate her beauty to a level Peter didn't even know existed when she dances. When she wears her pointe shoes. Peter stares entranced as Daphne glides across the floor with a wide smile on her face. His chest warms and tightens and he can't help himself; he has to smile along. He holds his breath when the realization hits him. _He loves her._

...

"Let's go!" Peter is practically bouncing out of the school. "I promised Mr. Stark we'd be there by eight!"  
"Pete, I'm sweaty and gross, I wanna shower first," Daphne laughs. He purses his lips and nods.  
"Alright, alright-" he smiles. "See you there at eight thirty, then?" Daphne thinks for a second.  
"If I run, then yes, I could make that." He grabs her shoulders and presses a long peck on her cheek, making Daphne blush. He lets his nose run across her cheek until he touches the tip of her nose. He smiles and softly says:  
"You better sprint, then." And sprint she did.

...

Daphne has a duffel bag over one shoulder and the tote bag with snacks she got that day on her other. She quietly rushes into Avengers tower, saying hi to the receptionist, who congratulates her on her birthday. When she gets into the elevator, she drops her bags on the floor. She looks at herself in the mirror. Peter told her to wear something comfortable, like pajamas. She's wearing sweatpants and Peter's Midtown Tech hoodie.

"Hi Daph, happy birthday," F.R.I.D.A.Y. says. "Peter is waiting for you on floor 48."  
"Thanks, F.R.I. Could you take me there?"  
"Of course." Daphne leans against one of the mirrors, trying to catch her breath from rushing. The elevator halts at floor 27, making Daphne cock an eyebrow. The doors open and Tony walks in.  
"Evening, Daph," he says, acknowledging her with short eye contact and a nod.  
"Hi, Mr. Stark." He moves to stand next to her, his hands folded together in front of him. He doesn't look at her, but she can tell he's holding back a smile.

"Happy birthday."  
"Thanks." It's quiet as the doors close. Too quiet. Daphne looks around the elevator and sucks at her teeth. _God, this is awkward._ They start going up, the floor numbers going by excruciatingly slowly.  
"So," Tony says suddenly, breaking the silence. "Valentine's baby?" Daphne takes in a sharp breath and stares at him wide-eyed. She blinks a few times and collects herself, straightening her back.  
"Isn't everyone born in November a Valentine's baby?" she shoots back. He glances at her and laughs.  
"Probably." There's a short silence.  
"Can you tell me what Peter's up to?" Daphne asks. "You must know." Tony bites his cheek and looks forward, stifling a chuckle.  
"He really likes you, Daph. That's all you gotta know."

Tony gets out on floor 44, the lab. He gives her a short wave.  
"Peter spent a lot of time on this. Have fun!" He squints his eyes shut as he smiles and turns away.  
"Thanks?" Daphne manages to push out before the doors shut and the elevator starts moving up again. She's almost on the right floor and it's safe to say that Daphne's ready to throw up. The tingle she feels in her body is bouncing around like crazy. Why is this making her so nervous?  
"48th floor. Enjoy your evening, Daph," F.R.I.D.A.Y. says as the doors open. It's almost frustrating how even the AI knows what's going to happen.

...

The lights are off, but the floor is illuminated by candles, creating a path through the hallways. Daphne picks up her bags and carefully steps out of the elevator, staring at the small flames and where they lead to. She knew Peter was romantic, but this was a whole other level. She slowly starts walking among the candles, following its path until she hits a door. She doesn't really know what to do then, so she clears her throat, takes a breath and knocks.  
"Come in!" She hears Peter shout from far away. Daphne hesitantly opens the door into the dimly lit room.

She expected there to be furniture. Lots of it, given the size of the room. However, the room is completely covered in webbing, except for the floor. The ceiling is high and there seems to be a little hut made of webs, hovering in the air above her. Daphne looks at it with wonder. Peter _made_ this?

Daphne perks up when she sees Peter's head appear from the ball of webs. A smile spreads across his face and – like a true spider – he makes his way towards her by crawling over his web. He thwips and lets go of his little house in the air. He lets himself glide down until he's at her height. His hair is not immune to gravity and she immediately tangles her fingers in them. She presses a tender kiss on his upside-down lips. She lets her duffel bag and tote bag fall to the floor.

"Hey, Pete," she mumbles against him.  
"Hey, dove." He smiles and cheekily pulls himself up a little, so that Daphne reluctantly has to let go of him.  
"What is all this?" She looks at all the candles around them and gestures up at the web.  
"Took me over a week to build," he admits as he looks up at it. "It's a different web fluid than what I'm used to, so it took some time getting it right." He turns around mid-air, like he did in the ballet school's storage, but keeps holding on to the string that's keeping him off the floor. He offers Daphne his hand. "Wanna go up?" Daphne looks at his hand, at the web-house and back into Peter's eyes. A smile spreads across her face as she takes his hand.  
"Yes, please."

Daphne takes Peter's hand and he gently lifts her off the ground. It's an odd feeling. Like she's weightless. Which, to be honest, she pretty much is to Peter. She wraps her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She rests her chin on his shoulder and holds onto him tightly.  
"You good?" he asks. Daphne nods.  
"Uh-huh," she mumbles into his neck. Peter starts pulling them up towards the little house in the air.  
"This stuff isn't sticky," he says as they make their way up. "A little bouncy, maybe, but you won't get stuck like a fly." Daphne chuckles.  
"Are you sure you're not a spider that was bitten by a radioactive human?" she jokes. "You're trying to impress me with your web?" Peter laughs. Daphne loves the way his laugh sounds when she's so close to him. The rumble in his throat and the jolting of his chest...

"We're here," Peter mumbles into her ear. Daphne's eyes shoot open, she hadn't even realized she'd closed them. There's an okay sized opening in the little web ball. Peter sticks to the outside of the hut so he can help her climb in and her mouth falls open at the sight. There are soft blankets and pillows everywhere. It looks bigger on the outside than it is on the inside, but in a good way. It's incredibly cosy. He stuck fairy lights all over the ceiling of the web ball, illuminating the space well enough to be able to see each other, while still setting the right tone. His laptop rests at the side, on top of the blankets. All she can do is stare at the fairy tale in front of her.  
"Peter," she whispers breathlessly. He leans in over her shoulder.  
"Do you like it?" He asks quietly. He sounds unsure, but Daphne is quick to ease his mind.  
"I love it."

Peter gently helps Daphne over the little ledge and she lets herself fall into the pillows and blankets. She chuckles as she lets all the soft things envelope her.  
"Get comfy, I'm gonna get the food. You okay for a second?"  
"I'm perfect, Pete," she sighs content.  
_Yeah, you are..._ Peter thinks as he lets himself drop to the floor. He looks up and wonders once again if he built it too high. He's been wondering that ever since he started building it. But yes, maybe the Spider-side in him really did want to impress her with this web construction. The room itself was about twenty feet tall and the ball hung just under the ceiling. Daphne didn't seem to mind it, so he pushes the thought away, grabs the bags and quickly makes his way back up again where Daphne is wrapping herself in the blankets, getting comfortable.

When Peter's inside, Daphne immediately opens the blanket as an invitation for him to join her. He puts the bags down and crawls next to her.  
"You got the USB-stick?" Peter asks. Daphne nods and points at the food bag.  
"I put it in there." Peter grabs the bag and takes out all the food and drinks, placing them around the two of them. When he finds the USB-stick, he plugs it into his laptop, which he places on his lap. She rests her head against his arm, letting herself be consumed by her surroundings. She stares at the fairy lights through half-lidded eyes and sighs.

"Don't fall asleep, Daph, we got a long evening ahead of us," Peter chuckles, not taking his eyes off the screen of his laptop.  
"Oh?"  
"But before I put on the Nutcracker..." He starts with a cheeky smile as he sits upright. Daphne sits up too, like an excited puppy. _Nutcracker?!_ They're finally watching the Nutcracker together? The setting couldn't have been more perfect. Everything about this evening was absolutely perfect. She looks at him, wondering what he's up to now. He fumbles in the pocket of his sweat pants and takes out a little box. She looks at it curiously and then back up at him. "Happy birthday, Daph," he says softly. He opens the box and in it lies a little hairpin with a golden dove on it. "Ah, man, I wanted to say dove- I messed it up." Daphne laughs, but doesn't look away from the pin.

It is beautiful. And also incredibly thoughtful. She's not allowed to wear jewelry during ballet class, but she is allowed to wear hair pins. And the color of the dove hides well in her hair. She looks up at Peter, who stares at her expectantly. She doesn't know what to say, so instead she nearly jumps on top of him, pressing her lips tightly against his. Their kiss is sweet and gentle, save for the rough start. She pushes her hands through his hair and flutters her eyes before shutting them again.

_He's so intoxicating,_ she thinks.  
_She's so intoxicating,_ he thinks.

He holds her waist with his free hand and they both pant when they finally let go. Their foreheads are still connected.  
"Does this mean you like it?" he asks with a smirk, not opening his eyes.  
"Shit, Pete, yes," she breathes into him before kissing him again. She tries to hold herself upright by placing her hand down against the webbing of the house he built. Their noses brush past each other and she smiles into him. "Fuck, _I love you._"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My heart is warm with love for these two and I _c a n t_ i just _c a n t_, man. I hope you enjoyed! <3 
> 
> Next chapter will maybe probably most likely feature a certain demigod who hasn't done his November visit yet because he was pre-occupied. 👀


	60. Firebird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter thinks back to last night and Daphne is visited by Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE HIT 100K WORDS - YALL, LEMME SCREAM!
> 
> Another long chapter today! ^_^
> 
> Cursive paragraphs are memories!

Peter opens his eyes slightly and the moment he realizes where he is, he never wants to move again. Daphne is curled up in his arms, breathing softly and steadily. He can’t see her face as it’s hidden against his chest, but he can envision the peaceful look on it. Her slacked jaw and relaxed muscles. Her closed eyes, fluttering slightly through her dreams. Their legs are intertwined and he moves his foot slightly, trying not to wake her. His arms are wrapped around her shoulders and head and even though his right arm is asleep, he doesn’t want to move it. This moment is too perfect to let go of. He sighs quietly and closes his eyes again, letting his mind wander to last night.

_Peter froze._  
_”You love me?” He muttered. _  
_”Yes, dummy, I just said so,” Daphne laughed as she pressed a kiss on his nose. They both lay down in the webbing and the blankets, and stared at each other in silence for a bit. She focused on his breathing and the way his fingers played with her long hair. They tangled the fingers of their free hands together and his thumb traced slow circles on her skin._  
_”I love you too,” he mumbled, evading eye contact._  
_”You do?” she replied, almost amused. He could hear her smirk as she asked it. He looked back up at her and couldn’t help but smile._  
_”I mean, I knew I liked you… A lot. For a while now… But today during pas de deux class something snapped and I- I just…” He couldn't finish his sentence properly. He didn’t know what else to say. “I love you.” It was now his turn to press a quick peck on her nose. “I love you,” he said again as he pressed a kiss on her cheek. “I love you, I love you, I love you-“ he peppered her face in kisses like she did with him that morning and she giggled at the attention, pulling him in closer. Her foot glided against his lower leg_  
_”Who knew Spider-Man is so romantic?”_  
_”Don’t put that online, the paparazzi have already been all over me lately,” he scoffed quietly._  
_”No worries, Pete,” Daphne said with a chortle as she pressed a kiss on the hand she was still holding. “I’m not sharing anything.” Peter laughed softly and pulled her in an embrace. His lips grazed past her ear and the smell of her shampoo filled his lungs again. Her fingers curled around him and massaged his back. He let go and relaxed completely into her touch._  
_”I’m all yours,” he mumbled. Daphne sighs content, drowning herself in him._  
_”And I’m all yours.”_

Peter loved the Nutcracker. It even rivals Swan Lake for his favourite ballet. Seeing what the Sugar Plum Fairy pas de deux is supposed to look like, was a little daunting, though. He’s definitely nowhere near as graceful as the dancer on screen. Daphne had calmed him. He’s only been doing this since September. _Three months!_ And he’s so quick to learn everything. He just needs to have faith and work very hard in the last few weeks, to make sure it looks the way Madame Touha wants it to look.

_The Nutcracker just ended. Daphne and Peter were staring at a black screen. Daphne’s head rested on Peter’s shoulder and she had her arms wrapped around his torso._  
_”Peter?” she asked quietly._  
_”Hm?_  
_”Are we dating?” Peter stifled a laugh._  
_”I think so.”_  
_”You think so?”_  
_”I think so,” he repeated and he petted her hair. “We hang out a lot and care for each other. Both of us said ‘I love you’ three hours ago. Not to mention all the kissing.”_  
_”Huh,” Daphne said pensively. “I guess you’re right.” Peter chuckled and she sighed. “I’m being dumb again."_  
_”Not dumb,” Peter replied simply. “Cute.” He pressed a kiss on her head. It was quiet for a little bit, before Peter broke the silence. “Let’s get ready for bed.”_

…

Daphne’s staring at the white board. The teacher is talking, but she’s not really listening. Her mind is still stuck at yesterday evening. She’s fairly certain nothing will ever top that. The Nutcracker, the fairy lights, the blankets… Peter. She plays with her hair. It’s in a half updo and the Dove pin Peter had given her is in an obvious spot. She smiles as her fingers graze past it.  
“Alright, open your books at page 42,” the teacher belts through the class. Daphne is snapped out of her thoughts and pulls her book towards her. When she opens it at the right page, she frowns. There’s a folded piece of parchment.

Daphne tries to look inconspicuous as she looks around the classroom, trying to gauge if anyone notices it. More specifically: if the teacher notices it. Luckily she’s not in the front of the classroom and she’s right next to the window, so the teacher can’t really see what’s on her desk. MJ also didn’t notice and instead conveniently asks to go to the bathroom, which the teacher allows. Daphne’s hand slowly ghosts towards the piece of parchment in her book. She looks around once more and folds it open.

_Tonight ?_

Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and glances up at the teacher, hoping that he wouldn’t catch her with the note. She looks back down at it and studies the graceful handwriting. _Loki._ He wants to see her tonight. In his defence, it is the last day of November and he hasn’t bothered her all month. Not that he really bothers her. She wonders how she could let him know tonight is okay.

His handwriting is beautiful. Cursive. She then realizes that the space between the word and the question mark is rather big. She takes a short breath and holds it. Another glance at the teacher, who’s still talking about whatever. She hasn’t listened to a word he said so far, so she can’t really be bothered to figure out what he’s saying now. She just doesn’t want to get caught. Her fingers move to hold the top of the parchment. She grips it tightly and slowly starts ripping the paper. Her eyes dart up again. The teacher hasn’t noticed. She keeps ripping it, as quietly as she possibly can. The tear in the paper passes between the word and the question mark. When she’s left with two pieces of paper, she crumples up the question mark and puts it in the pocket of her hoodie. She carefully places the piece of paper back in the book. She reads the word on the parchment one last time before she closes the book.

_Tonight._

…

Daphne’s sitting at her desk, doing her homework. She put on a piano music playlist, to fill the silence. Her dad has another night shift, so she’s home alone and Peter’s at Avengers Tower again. They just ended a video chat and her cheeks are still warm from when Tony asked if they had fun last night. They haven’t exactly come out as an official couple yet, but she figures Tony knows. Peter tells him everything.

Her pen runs smoothly over the paper of her notebook. She’s been having quite the trouble with homework and it’s frustrating her that she doesn’t have any art classes anymore. Her old school’s curriculum was stuffed with subjects that interested her next to the regular stuff she has to learn. Midtown Tech is mostly science and physics. And all the extra-curricular art and dance classes are on amateur level. The teachers don’t really know what they’re talking about. There’s nothing for her to learn at Midtown Tech that’s of value for her. She sits back in her chair and groans. She misses her old school. She misses her old classmates. However, she doesn’t miss her old school’s board. Or the principal. Or-

Her train of thought gets interrupted by two short knocks on her bedroom door. She looks up at it confused. There shouldn’t be anyone in the apartment. She raises her eyebrows when she realizes her guest has arrived.  
“Come on in,” she says as she shuts her book. The door opens gently and Loki peeks his head through the opening. He smiles mischievously.  
“Hello there.”  
“Cheeky.” Daphne cocks an eyebrow. “Get in,” she orders. She stands up from her chair and makes her way to the bed.  
“Bad mood?” He asks as he slips through the door and closes it behind him. He's wearing rather casual clothes, compared to watch she's used to him wearing. Still very elegant and royal, but he left the leather back on Asgard today. The dark fabrics look soft, but warm.  
“Nah.” She drops herself flat on the bed. “I had to switch schools but I miss the old one.”  
“Oh?” He cocks his head at her. “Why?”  
“Stupid subjects. Difficult homework. Can’t dance as much as I used to.”

He meant the why with regards to why she had to change schools, but something about what she said peaked his interest. “You dance?” Loki makes his way to her desk chair and turns it so he can sit down on it.  
“Wasn’t that obvious?” She glances at the wall that’s completely covered in pointe shoes.  
“Well, I was going to ask you about those.” He nods at the shoes. “I noticed them last time.” Daphne mentally slaps her forehead. Loki doesn’t know what ballet is. Why would he? He’s Asgardian. “They’re shoes?” The way he asks the question makes it sound like he wouldn’t believe her if she said yes.  
“Pointe shoes, yeah.” She sits herself up and takes a pair from the wall. “These are ‘dead’ – as we call them. They’re too worn. Would be dangerous to keep dancing on them cause they don’t support me anymore.”  
“You dance in those?” Loki looks appalled, which makes Daphne laugh.  
“I do.”  
“Don’t they hurt?” Daphne shrugs.  
“I’m used to the pain.” She looks at the shoe in her hand. “If I don’t dance for a while, I even miss the feeling of the shoes around my feet.” Loki’s face contorts.  
“And more Midgardians wear those… pointe shoes?” She holds the old shoes out to Loki from the bed and he reaches to take them from her. He moves back in the chair and studies the shoes up close, letting the ribbons caress his hand. The box is hard and he pats his open palm with it.  
“Well, not everyone. Only trained ballerinas wear those. And idiots who think they don’t need training to wear them.” Loki looks back up at Daphne with an amused look on his face.  
“And what happens to those idiots?”  
“They break their ankles.” Loki laughs softly at the idea and studies the shoe again. He gasps inwardly when he finds even the inside of the shoes are hard. The shoes are torture devices. “Here.” Daphne holds her phone under his nose and he looks at the screen.

It’s a picture of Daphne, mid-leap. Her legs are split and her back is bent backwards. She has her head angled up to the sky and her back leg is in attitude.  
“This is you?” He asks, staring at the photo. He barely recognizes her with the make-up, the tight bun and the costume.  
“Yeah,” she says casually. “I’m doing a Firebird here.”  
“Firebird…” he repeats, liking the way the word sounds in relation to Daphne.  
“Most ballet terms are in French though.” She locks her phone and tosses it on her bed. “Beautiful language, but I’d never learn it.”  
“You could learn Allspeak,” Loki says as he rests the shoes in his lap and looks up at her.  
“Allspeak?”  
“It’s the language we speak on Asgard. The language I speak right now.”  
“Wait, you’re not speaking English?” Daphne drops herself on the bed, opposite Loki.  
“I’m not.”  
“Woah, that’s pretty cool.” Loki scoffs at her reply. She’s so simple. Yet that’s exactly what makes her so endearing. So interesting to talk to. “How does it work?”  
“Tsk.” Loki leans back. “That is rather difficult to explain.”  
“Could you teach me?” She’s on the edge of the bed, her excitement surprises Loki.  
“Perhaps. It takes a lot of discipline to learn.” He cocks an eyebrow at her and Daphne purses her lips in a grin. She likes a challenge.  
“Bitch, please. I do ballet. If any art form requires discipline it’s ballet.” Midgardian slang still catches him off guard and he chuckles as he nods.  
“Alright. I will bring a book on it next time.” She smiles at him and it warms his heart. "Could I..." His voice trails off and he looks away. Would it be a weird question to ask?  
"Could you...?" Daphne cocks her head, urging him to finish his sentence.  
"Could I maybe watch you dance, one day?" Daphne's taken aback by the question and she fixes her posture. She pulls in her legs and thinks.  
"I mean... I guess?" She starts thinking out loud. "You can't watch my classes, cause those are private, but there's a performance next month..." Loki beams with excitement. She didn't say no.  
"When is it?"  
"December 23rd, right before Christmas." She scratches her head. "It won't just be me on stage, by the way. All the stage-art students in the scholarship program get to show off, but that's my first performance of the year."  
"I'll be there," he says determined. She suddenly frowns.  
"You'd have to come in disguise. Tony and Peter will be there." Loki smirks.  
"Oh, Daphne, dear. You know disguises are not a problem for me."

…

Daphne and Loki talk for a few hours. Time passes by way quicker than they thought it would. They really do like each other’s company and it warms Loki to know that she’s so comfortable around him. Most people fear him. Stay away from him. She doesn’t. She hangs over his shoulder and punches him in the chest when he cracks a stupid joke. She would even sit next to him with her legs draped over his lap and she allowed him to lay with her on the bed as they both stared at the ceiling. He likes this child. This is yet another reminder of how he has to kill Somm. He won’t let him take her. Own her. No one is to own her. Loki will protect her. Somm _has_ to die.

They’re in the living room now. Daphne poured him a glass of water and she’s munching on an apple. She’s lost in thought, leaning on the counter, unsure if she should ask him about the mist. He finishes his glass and stretches his back.  
“I should probably be going back home now.” He glances at Daphne. “I do not think either of us want Thor to come look for me again.”  
“Yeah, no, please. Go.” She laughs and puts the apple on the counter. She makes room for him so he can walk to the door and he passes her. He suddenly stops in his tracks, raises his index fingers and turns around.  
“Two little things before I go,” he says. Daphne looks at him confused.  
“Uh-oh,” she scoffs.  
“No uh-ohs, dear.” Loki crosses his arms. “Was the note an adequate heads-up?” Daphne raises her eyebrows.  
“Yes and no.”  
“Why not?” He cocks his head.  
“Maybe next time don’t do it while I’m in class. Can’t get caught with a note.”  
“Noted,” Loki says with a cocky smile.  
“Ha-ha, funny.” She sticks out her tongue. She puts her hands on her hips. “And the second thing?”  
“Well…” Loki smirks and takes a big step towards her, until he stands opposite her. “A little birdy told me it was your birthday yesterday.”  
“Oh, yeah.” Daphne presses her lips on top of each other.  
“And you didn’t even tell me?”  
“Didn’t seem important.”  
“I think I will decide what I deem important and what not.” He towers over her, but she’s not scared. Instead she just looks up at him, bored. 

He holds his hand out in front of her and she stares at it. There’s a little silver raven. Or at least, she thinks it’s silver. Asgard probably has different metals than they do on earth.  
“What’s that?” she asks curiously.  
“This is Muninn,” he answers. “Or well, a small charm of him.” He opens his other hand in front of her. A similar raven charm rests in his palm. “And this is Huginn.”  
“Odin’s ravens?”  
“Indeed, they are.” He gestures with the hand that’s holding Muninn and Daphne carefully takes it from him. She studies it closely. “If you ever find yourself in great danger, please call for me through Muninn.” Daphne looks up into Loki’s serious eyes. “Huginn-“ he gestures at the raven that he’s still holding. “-will tell me and I will come to your aid.” Daphne looks down at Muninn again and closes her fist. Loki just gave her a means to communicate with him. She can reach him if the mist ever shows up again. He will help her. The idea that the man who killed hundreds, if not thousands, in the New York attack is straight up telling her he'll protect her is strange. Yet, she trusts him. She nods slowly and finds Loki’s gaze. He smiles kindly at her. “Happy belated birthday, Daphne.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice and long! Sorry I missed a day. Yesterday was super hectic and my life's getting busier and busier. I might need to go to once every two/three days with posts, cause I don't want to post anything that I haven't proof read due to lack of time.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! <3


	61. The Anemoi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Daphne have a discussion about their school project.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the shorter chapters! I hope you enjoy!

Sunday is homework and hangout day for Peter and Daphne. They’re at Daphne’s place. Peter is spinning in her desk chair while Daphne lies on her back on the bed, reading the e-mail from the teacher on her phone.  
“We need to study up on the Anemoi,” Daphne says.  
“Anemoi?” Peter stops the spinning and rests his head on the back of the chair as he looks at Daphne.  
“The four winds.” Daphne turns towards Peter. “Yaknow; north, east, south and west?”  
“Aha.” He starts spinning again, obviously bored with the concept.  
“Pete, could you please focus a little bit?”  
“Sorry,” he groans. “History is just… Not my thing.”  
“Well, it is mine.” She moves to sit upright with her legs tucked in. “Haven’t really been enjoying Midtown Tech’s curriculum, so please, let me have this.” Peter stops spinning again and stares at her confused.  
“You haven’t?” Daphne holds in a scoff. He looks genuinely offended that she’s not having the best time at his school.  
“All Midtown focuses on is science and physics. I used to have art classes every day, Pete.” He doesn’t reply. Instead, he looks away and crosses his arms. His behaviour is frustrating her. She shakes her head. “I miss my vocal classes, Pete. My dance classes. My painting classes. Art history.” She drops flat on the bed again. “This project is the closest thing I get to do at this school that somewhat resembles what I used to do at my old school.”  
“So, you want to go back?” His voice is restrained, like he’s trying to hide his own frustrations, but failing horribly. “After everything you’ve worked for?” She knows he meant to say ‘we’ but for some reason he didn’t.  
“Maybe I do.” She looks away from him and frowns before taking a deep sigh. “Well, I don’t. Obviously.” She shoots a glance at him. She knows he’s not doing it on purpose, but those damned puppy dog eyes will be the death of her. “I just miss my old classmates. And my classes.”  
“I didn’t know you felt like this,” he mumbles.  
“I mean- I have friends at Midtown, yes, but like…” She sniffs. “All my classmates are prepping for the Christmas performance together. They’ll all help each other with their acts and my act will be something entirely separate…” Peter doesn’t reply and Daphne doesn’t continue. It’s quiet for a minute. 

“Anemoi, you said?” Peter tries suddenly. She looks at him with curled eyebrows.  
“Yeah.” Her voice cracks, but she doesn’t cry.  
“Can you tell me about them?” She scoffs softly, but tries to smile at him through her pain. At least he’s trying now. She unlocks her phone again and reopens the document she found on the Anemoi. There’s a hint of excitement in her tone as she speaks.  
“Well, there’s the God of the northern winds: Boreas. Also known as the bringer of winter,” she recites.  
“Okay…?” He urges her to continue.  
“Next up is Eurus, the easterly wind. There’s not really anything special about that one…” Daphne’s eyes scan the letters as she tries to find the most interesting parts about each wind. “Then there’s Notus, the southern wind…” There’s a lot of text on this one and she reads quickly. “Oh, this one’s kinda interesting. People feared this wind cause could destroy crops during late-summer or fall.”  
“Why?”  
“This wind usually carried storms. Warm air…” She puffs her cheeks for a second before continuing. “This one might be cool to go more in depth on for the project.”  
“Could do!” Peter starts spinning again. “Did you read up on the westerly wind yet?” Daphne looks back at her screen and scrolls further.  
“I haven’t yet. Let’s see…” She purses her lips until she finds the right paragraph. “’The Westerly Wind’,” she quotes. “The gentlest of winds… Blah, blah… Fructifying…”  
“Fructifying?” Peter asks amused.  
“Yeah, like: to make something more fruitful or productive.”  
“Just the sound of the word-“ Peter interrupts himself by shuddering and Daphne laughs.  
“I get you, man-“ Her attention goes back to the text in front of her and Peter relaxes his head so he looks at the ceiling. “Eh… Bringer of spring. Prosperity…” she adds. “The most favourable of directional winds as it aids sailors and farmers.”  
“Sounds like there’s also a lot of info on that one.”  
“Yeah, definitely.”  
“What did you say it was called again?” Peter frowns at the ceiling.  
“Oh, I didn’t say yet. The name’s probably at the bottom of the paragraph this time. Let me see…” Her thumb flicks over the screen. “In Ancient Greece, the westerly wind was more commonly known as-“

It’s quiet for a few seconds.  
“As…?” Peter asks, still looking at the ceiling. She doesn’t reply and he turns his head to look at her. Her eyes are glued to her phone and her mouth is half open with a clenched jaw. Her left eye twitches. It seems like she’s trying to say what’s on the screen, but nothing’s coming out. Instead, she’s frozen in place. Peter immediately sits up straight. “Daph?”  
“I- I can’t-“ Peter rushes off the chair to sit beside her. He rests one hand on her shoulder. She’s shaking.  
“Are you okay?”  
“I can’t say it, Pete-“ She gasps for air and closes her eyes. Peter’s eyebrows raise when he realizes what’s going on. He shoots a glance at her phone, reading the word she’s stuck at. “I- I can’t-“  
“Ssh… It’s okay, Daph.” He takes the phone out of her hand, drops it next to her on the bed and pulls her in for an embrace. She clings onto him, still shaking. A sob escapes her mouth and she hides her face in his chest. “You don’t have to say it.” He pushes her away from him, so she can look at him. “I need you to breathe with me, Daph-“ he says calmly. “You’re not breathing, I need you to breathe with me.” He can tell her entire body is tensed up. He holds her hands and his thumbs rub gentle circles in her palms. It takes her a few minutes to calm down and she ends up in his arms again, still focusing on her breath and not saying anything. He pets her hair gently and he can’t help but glance at her now locked phone. Why couldn’t she say that name? The Memory Prison spell was blocking her, but why? Why couldn’t she say _Zephyrus_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I found out that there already is a character called Zephyr in the Marvel comics (she's the wind Elemental and doesn't look like the monster from FFH at all loool)? So, eh... Yeah. Whoops. Thought I'd done enough research, apparently not. But yaknow, I'm just gonna pretend she doesn't exist in this universe (even though she seems super fucking rad) 😂
> 
> Peter read Zephyrus cause that is the actual name of the westerly wind. Zephyr is just a shortened version of it, Zephyrus is the actual god's name.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	62. Heist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter wants answers and decides to get some books from Strange's library. Whether Strange wants/knows it or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since Peter said "I got you." Let's change that.

Peter didn’t want to argue with her, but Daphne is being very difficult. When she finally calmed down completely, she asked him not to tell anyone about her not being able to say the word Zephyrus. Not even Tony.  
“Why not?”  
“You know why not,” she mutters into his chest.  
“Daph, if your reason involves you not wanting to bother anyone, then I’m not gonna listen to you.”  
“No, Pete, I just… I-“ She pauses and her breath hitches. He’s right, she knows. And he knows too. But there’s a little more to it this time. “He can’t do anything with that info.”  
“He could ask Doctor Stra-“  
“No-no, we’re not telling him anything.” There it is. The exact reason why she doesn’t want Tony to know. He’ll tell Strange and that’s the last thing she wants. Tony’s nice to her, but she feels like there’s more to his kindness than him just liking her for who she is. Whether that has to do with Peter or with anything else is still vague to her, but he shouldn’t know. He can’t know. _Double-edged sword._ The word flashes in her head again. Maybe Peter got it from Stark.  
“Why don’t you trust him?” She doesn’t reply. She can’t. “But you trust the mist?” She knows it must sound strange from their perspective. She was ambushed by an alien, who told her a bunch of things, which he made her unable to say out loud by putting a spell on her and suddenly, she doesn’t trust the ‘good sorcerer’ from earth anymore. Kind of sounds like he put a spell on her that makes her distrustful in general. Maybe they think he did something even worse, like hurting her. But he didn't. She knows he didn't. She opens her mouth to speak, but there’s an immense pressure on her chest. A soft whine escapes her lips and he immediately pets her hair again, softly rocking her side to side. “Ssh, ssh. It’s okay, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”  
“I’m sorry,” she mumbles.  
“Ssh…” he soothes again. He rests his head on top of hers and frowns. "I got you." He hates being helpless. He can't do anything but hold her, and as much as they don't mind holding each other, he definitely doesn't feel like he's doing enough. He knows she doesn’t want him to tell Stark or Strange, but doing nothing feels wrong too.

…

Peter’s never actually been inside the Sanctum. It’s imposing, yet also dark. And dusty. And old. Still, it’s very impressive. Peter’s nervous, but he has to keep his act up. Lying to the Sorcerer Supreme is going to be hard, but is it really lying if you’re just leaving some bits of information out when telling the truth? _Yes._ His own voice echoes through his head. He inwardly tells his brain to shut up and looks up at the big stairs.  
“Doctor Strange?” He calls out and flinches at how insecure he sounded. He wants to call out again, but Stephen appears at the top of the stairs.  
“What brings you to the Sanctum?” Stephen asks with a cocked eyebrow. His arms are crossed and Peter notices he’s not actually standing on the floor. He’s floating just above it. The cape is flowing like there’s a small gust of wind, but they’re inside. There is no wind.  
“I- I, eh…” Peter stutters. He takes a breath and nods once. “I’m here for a school project on Ancient Greece.”  
“No,” Stephen says simply and he turns away to walk- or well, float- back up the rest of the stairs.  
“But-“  
“Google it, kid.” Somehow, when Stephen calls him kid, it sounds wrong. Tony calls him kid all the time and never did Peter think Tony said it in the degrading way that Stephen said it now. 

Peter huffs. He's not ready to give up just yet. He makes his way to the stairs and runs up, skipping one or two steps with each hop. Peter spots Stephen walking into a hallway and he rushes after him. It takes all of his self-control to not get distracted by all the amazing artifacts that are on display.  
“Please, doctor Strange, I just-“ Stephen abruptly turns back to Peter and takes an intimidating step towards him.  
“I have bigger things to worry about than one insignificant little school project. Besides, what you’ll find in my books does not correlate with what your teacher would know. They’ll give you a zero and say you pulled the info out of your ass.” Peter purses his lips and looks to the side. He can’t argue with that. He can feel his frustrations catch up to him. Strange turns away and continues through the hallway, leaving Peter behind with a wave of his hand. “Go home, Peter.”

He didn’t.

Spider-Man lands on top of the Sanctum. He waited for it to be dark outside and he can barely believe he’s going to steal from Doctor Strange. _The Sorcerer Supreme._ Okay, he will put whatever he takes back where it belongs later, so… Borrow. He’s going to borrow a book from Doctor Strange. He slaps himself in the face a few times with both hands to bring himself back to reality and he peeks into one of the big windows. His lenses turn to slits. According to Karen, the library should be two floors down. She couldn’t exactly locate where Stephen is, but she’s certain he’s not in the library. That’s all Peter needs. He feels if he can open the window and inwardly jumps for joy when it gives way without much trouble. He looks back one more time before sneaking inside.

Spider-Man tip toes through the Sanctum. There must be protection spells everywhere; he can’t just jump around and rush to where he needs to be. He needs to be careful. He closes his eyes, hoping his tingle can help him figure out where he can and can’t go. _Tingle._ He scoffs at himself. He should really figure out another name for that. He looks around the room and once again has to do everything he can to not be distracted. There’s so much cool stuff in this building, but he can’t afford to browse. Not now.

As imposing as the old building is, it’s also very frustrating to quietly move around in. The wooden floor boards creak softly with every step he takes. When one croak is particularly loud, Spider-Man freezes and stares at the stairs in horror, hoping no one would appear. The board also whines when Peter takes his foot off of it again. Millions of swear words bounce through his head and he quietly apologizes to uncle Ben for thinking like that. Uncle Ben once told him he didn’t like it when people swore, so Peter didn’t. Simple as that.

Spider-Man resorted to playing ‘The Floor Is Lava’. All the other items around the rooms are a lot les noisy than those floor boards, so he’s just going to have to make sure he doesn’t drop- Peter gasps and reaches out for a vase rushing to the floor. He catches it swiftly, right before it hits the ground. He stares at the vase with wide eyes and he can hear his heartbeat between his ears. He slowly brings the vase back to where it stood and carefully places it where it belongs. He glances at the stairs again. This heist is going to be the death of him.

It takes Spider-Man half an hour to get to the library. He’s fairly certain he’s never been as quiet as he is now. Karen still couldn’t locate Strange, which was unnerving. Maybe he just isn’t home. But he doesn’t want to test that theory, so he keeps quiet. There are endless rows of books in front of him, which certainly isn’t making Peter any more confident in finding what he needs.  
“Karen?” he whispers.  
“Yes, Peter?”  
“How long would it take you to search for a book with the word _Zephyrus_?” It’s quiet for a second while Karen calculates.  
“With the number of books in this room; thirty-four minutes tops.”  
“More than half an hour? Karen, I don’t have that kind of time.”  
“Do you want me to look for the book?” Karen sassily replies. Spider-Man bites the inside of his cheek and sighs softly.  
“Yes, please.”

To speed up the process, Spider-Man joined Karen in her search. Karen scans each and every book for the right word while Peter browses for books on Ancient Greek mythology, hoping to narrow down the field a little bit. The half hour passes excruciatingly slowly. Peter constantly eyes the stairs, hoping Stephen won’t join him.  
“Peter?” Karen asks suddenly.  
“Yeah?”  
“I have located two books that contain the word Zephyrus and one book with the word Zephyr.”  
“Where are they?”

Karen guides Peter to where the books are and he stares at the first one.  
“Do you think they’ll be booby trapped?” Peter says softly.  
“I don’t know, Peter. Magic is not my forte,” the AI replies.  
“Oh, well.” Peter tries to sound casual, but ultimately fails. He takes a deep breath as he raises his hand to grab the book off the shelf. “Leap of faith.” He starts pulling at the binding slowly. It starts creeping off the wooden shelving and Peter holds his breath with every inch he wins. When the book reaches out far enough, he takes it in his hand completely and pulls it out. He rests it in his arm.  
“Book number two is four books to the right.” Peter looks at where Karen tells him to look and he starts pulling at the second book. Quietly. Slowly. Gently… Peter gasps for air when the book next to the second book falls out of the shelf. He only barely managed to catch it by activating his stickiness and holding out his leg. The book is now stuck to him. He places the second book in his arm with the first one and rips off the extra book that fell down. He puts it back where it came from and looks around for the third book.  
“Karen, you said there was another book? With Zephyr in it?”  
“It’s in an entirely different section of the library. Do you want me to guide you there?” Spider-Man bites his lip. He already has two books from the history section, that should be enough, right?  
“What section is the third book in?”  
“Rare collections.”

Spider-Man quietly makes his way to the third book. Somehow the section subject caught his attention. The other two should be enough. Yet, something feels off about this last one. _Zephyr._ He purses his lips when he sees the book. It’s high up on the shelf. Not that getting up there is an issue, but if he uses his webs he’ll leave a string that won’t disappear for another three hours and the shelf doesn’t look sturdy enough for him to climb on. And then there’s the ladder, but it’s got wheels on it and is attached to the book case. He only dares to imagine the noise those unoiled wheels will make. He has to take a risk, he just has to pick which one. 

He breathes slowly, opting for plan number four: web the book and pull it out of the case. He hopes with all his heart that he won’t pull out anything else. He carefully places the other two books on the floor and stands back up straight with his eyes on the book he wants. He raises his arm and aims. There’s a beat. _Thwip!_ He nods proudly at his own skill; he hit the right book. However, the next part is going to be the most difficult.

He gives a soft tug at the book and it immediately pulls out a little further than he hoped for, bringing along two other books at its side.  
“No, no, no-“ Peter mutters. Plan number five. Spider-Man jumps and sticks to the high ceiling with just his fingertips. He hangs down and his feet just about reach the book when he’s fully outstretched. He carefully starts pushing the unnecessary books back into the shelving, but groans quietly when the book he needs also shuffles back onto the shelving. He wiggles his legs some more and sticks one foot to the book he needs. He uses his other foot to hold the books that want to come out as well in place. 

He cheers quietly when he gets hold of the book, but he finds himself in yet another predicament. How is he going to land without a loud thud? He can’t climb down because of the loose book cases, but he also can’t just leave via the ceiling because he left the other two books on the floor. _Idiot._ He thinks to himself. He stretches his arm out again and aims. _Thwip!_ One book down. He yanks it up and catches it with ease, keeping it with the Zephyr book. He can feel the beads of sweat trickling up his back, because he’s upside down. One more thwip. Just one more, and then he can make his way out again.

Suddenly his tingle freaks out and his eyes shoot to the staircase. The red cape appears and Peter presses his lips on top of each other. That thing has a mind of its own and it will definitely alarm Stephen if it spots him. No time to think! Need the book! _Thwip!_ Catch! Go! He rushes over the ceiling towards a dark corner and hides behind the shelving. He can see the cloak lazily floating towards one of the shelves. It starts stacking different kinds of books on top of itself. Spider-Man holds his head up to quiet his breathing and he stares at the magical object wide-eyed. If it spots him, he’s done for.

The cape glides around the library, collecting book after book. When it carries around 14 books, it turns away from the shelving, right past Peter, whose muscles relax when the realizes the cloak didn’t spot him. He keeps holding his breath until the cape is making its way down the stairs again. When it disappears out of sight, Spider-Man slowly starts moving again. Time to get out of there. 

He has one less limb to climb with, as he has to use one of his arms to hold onto the books. He’s quick, but quiet. It takes him less time to get upstairs than it did to get downstairs as he now knew how to get around the loud noises the old building makes. He pushes against the window again and it budges, letting him out. He finally dares to properly breathe again when the cold air hits him. He looks at his loot. Three books. He blinks a few times and smiles to himself. He just successfully broke into the Sanctum! He stole- eh, borrowed- from Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme! He hops joyfully and jumps off the building, swinging home to study up on Zephyrus.

Peter didn’t know Stephen had been watching him the entire time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Peter really thought he could just break into one of the most magically well-secured buildings in the world and get away with it. HA! Poor bean's gonna get it.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Writing suspense is fun! :D


	63. Gesundheit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stephen goes to Tony for an explanation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare for some parental banter. 👀

Tony is tinkering away on his upgraded nano-tech suit. It’s still a prototype, but the tests have been promising so far. However, not everything is going according to plan tonight. Some of the tiny robots imploded. This resulted in all the nanobots being splayed over the floor, while Tony has to use tweezers to take out the broken ones. He can’t turn on the ones that still work as that will cause more of them to implode. It’s a bug in the system that he needs to work out, but that also means he’s playing a frustrating game of Where’s Waldo in which everyone is Waldo. All the bots are identical. The only way he can find the broken ones is by letting F.R.I.D.A.Y. do continuous scans and browse for the slightest burn marks on the bots. The tedious work is starting to get on his nerves. At least Dummy is there to help him.

“Stark.” Tony jolts and drops three of the broken nanobots back into the pile. His head shoots to turn at the orange circle appearing at the other side of the room. Tony takes a sharp breath and if looks could kill, the sorcerer would be on the floor right now.  
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” He exclaims, raising his hands. “I have a receptionist, Strange! Go bother her before you bother me!” He can tell Stephen is also in a bad mood, but he doesn’t feel like easing up. He clenches the tweezers in his fist and turns back to his work, nipping at the nanobots he just dropped.  
“I want to be here as much as you want me to be here, Stark,” Strange grumbles. He takes a step towards the billionaire, cocks an eyebrow and slightly raises his arms. “But I’d like to know why your protege thinks he can steal from me.” Tony stops in his tracks and glares back at the sorcerer with a look of disbelief on his face. His eyebrows are curled up into a frown.  
“What?”  
“You heard me.” Strange crosses his arms. “Spider-Man visited the Sanctum last night and took three books.”  
“Why the hell would he do that?” Peter’s the embodiment of what’s good in the world. He wouldn’t steal. He’s bright and kind. He helps old ladies cross the road and saves cats from high trees. Heck, Peter’s the reason Tony wants kids himself.  
“You tell me, Stark.” They look at each other for a few seconds and Tony lets out a defeated sigh. Peter is also a hormonal teenager and would do everything he can to help the people he cares about.  
“Daphne.”

Tony gets up from the floor and pats his knees before making his way to his desk. He plops himself in his chair and stares at his phone.  
“Do you know what he stole?” Tony asks seriously. Stephen rolls his eyes and scoffs.  
“Of course, I do.” He walks towards Tony’s desk. “He walked in earlier asking for help with a project on Ancient Greece. I told him to go away.”  
“You really are an asshole, Strange,” Tony groans as he grabs his phone from the desk. “And you knew he was stealing from you. Why didn’t you stop him?”  
“Because I wanted to know what he wanted to steal. He seemed to look for something in particular.” Stephen walks to the window to look outside. “He didn’t just take books on Ancient Greece.” Tony cocks an eyebrow at Stephen.  
“What else did he take then?”  
“A book from my ‘Rare Collections’ section.”  
“Rare collections?”  
“Those books are filled with collector’s items.”  
“Wha- like… Daphne?” Tony’s face scrunches up at him comparing Daphne to a collector’s item.  
“He might be onto something.”  
“Okay, but how?” Tony crosses his arms and looks up at Stephen.  
“Daphne must’ve told him.”  
“What could she have told him if she can’t say shit?”  
“They’re your kids, Tony. Figure it out.” Tony stands up from his desk. His irritable mood is worsening by the second. Stephen is insufferable.  
“Oh, so now they’re _my_ kids?!”  
“I can confront Peter myself, if that’s what you-“  
“No, no you’re not. I’ll handle this.” Tony stomps towards the window and looks back at Stephen. “Are there any specific topics in those books that I should know about?”  
“One book goes in depth about the four winds.”  
“Don’t make me make a fart joke, Strange, that’s below me.”  
“The Anemoi, Stark,” Stephen groans. “Boreas, Notus, Eurus and-“ He stops himself and frowns at nothing. His mouth is half open.  
“You alright there, Gandalf?” Tony cocks his head at Stephen. He can practically see the gears turning in the sorcerer’s head. It takes a second for Strange to collect himself and he looks at Tony with his eyebrows raised to his hairline. Suddenly everything made sense. _Collector’s item._  
“Zephyrus…“  
“Gesundheit.”  
“No- Tony- Daphne; she’s a Zephyr.”  
Tony stares at Stephen, who starts rubbing his beard.  
“A what-now?” Tony slightly shakes his head and raises his hands confused. Stephen taps his foot quickly and compulsively. He takes a sharp breath.  
“I’m going to need those books back.” He purses his lips. "Preferably before they read that third book."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their banter gives me life. They're literally parents. Who are you rooting for? Do you want Tony and Stephen to prevent them from finding out? Or do you want Daphne and Peter to know what's going on?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	64. Rare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter reads some disturbing information and confronts Doctor Strange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst ahead!
> 
> Y'all are finally getting some more info on Zephyrs yayy! I believe it's only a few tiny new facts but you know, info is info and I will give it to you bit by bit. :P

Peter’s on the floor with his legs tucked in. He’s surrounded by the three books he… Borrowed. It’s an understatement to say the books are a pain to read. He’s about halfway through the second book and if he has to google one more definition of an impossible word, he’s going to go insane. Unfortunately, the contents of the books are mind-numbingly boring as well, which makes it even more difficult to get through. But he has to. For Daphne. At least he’s going to ace this school project now. The books told him more about the Anemoi than the internet ever could. Though, like Stephen said, that might just be his downfall. If the teacher doesn’t know any of this, he probably shouldn’t use it for his presentation. However, he’s not actually reading them for the school project.

He turns to the next page, but looks up mid-action when his phone buzzes. Tony’s calling him. Peter purses his lips when he reaches out for his phone and he straightens his back as he picks up.  
“Hey, Mr. Stark!”  
“Did you steal from Doctor Strange?” No greeting. Straight to the point. Peter takes a sharp breath and holds it.  
“No,” he squeaks. It’s about the least convincing he’s ever sounded.  
“Don’t lie to me, Peter.” Panic rises in Peter’s chest. They found out. They found out and he’s so screwed.  
“I- I just borrowed it for a school project, Mr. Stark, I swear-“  
“Borrowed?” Tony scoffs. “Kid, you don’t just ‘borrow’ ancient books from the Sanctum.”  
“I couldn’t find anything interesting about the Anemoi online and I figured-“  
“You _figured_?!” Tony interrupts him again. “Pete, you don’t know what’s in those books. Heck, they could be cursed. Have you read them?” Peter presses his lips on top of each other, not replying. “Kid…?”  
“I’m halfway through the second one…” He mumbles honestly.  
“Second one of what?”  
“Three books total.” Peter looks down at the books, embarrassed. He licks his lips and has to hold back his tears. This was a stupid idea.  
“I know you have three books. I just wanna know which ones you read.”  
“Eh,” Peter stutters and he looks at the book in his lap. “The myth of Cupid and Psyche and the one on the Anemoi in general…”  
“Alright, great, I want you to bring all three books back to the Sanctum. Stat.” Peter’s face contorts. There was something off about Tony’s comment. He sniffs and sighs defeated.  
“Yes, Mr. Stark.”

Something doesn’t add up. A lot doesn’t add up, actually. Tony and Peter only just hung up the phone after Peter received another lecture about responsibility. Peter’s staring at the books. The third book, to be exact. That was the only book that stood out from the rest and Tony seemed relieved he hadn’t touched that one. From the looks of it, it’s an encyclopedia. Tony doesn’t want him to read it, which is weird. Why would he not want him to read it? Does Mr. Stark know what Peter’s looking for? He takes a breath. It’s only one word he has to find. What harm could it do? If the book was actually cursed it wouldn’t be in the open library of the Sanctum. Right?

Peter shuts the book in his lap and places it on top of the other one he already read. He reaches for the encyclopedia and takes a breath. He opens it quickly, reading the rather troubling foreword. The book is a copy of the original book, which was written by ‘The Collector’. Peter frowns as he reads the lines. This book can pretty much be described as an informational piece of literature on how to keep zoo animals. But the animals aren’t actually animals. They’re humanoid species. People. Peter shudders. Luckily, the book is set up in alphabetical order. He flips the book to the last page and works his way back.  
“Zephyrus, Zephyrus…” He mumbles as he flicks through the pages. “Zephy-…r?” Peter’s eyes stop at a short section about _Zephyrs_. He quickly reads the words. His muscles tense up and he’s frozen in place. What does this have to do with Daphne? Why can’t she say this word? His mouth goes dry. He doesn’t want to admit it, but everything he reads makes sense with Daphne’s recent behavior, like her distrust of Doctor Strange. However, nothing about the text is satisfying. Nothing eases his mind.

_Due to their incredible rarity, Zephyrs are a prized jewel in anyone’s collection. They’re a true curiosity, often enslaved and used by sorcerers to increase their power to unimaginable heights. The shorter the expected life span of the Zephyr’s species, the more powerful the energy is that can be taken from them. Example: an Asgardian will make a weaker Zephyr than a Midgardian._

Peter can hear his breathing quicken, but he can’t feel it. There’s no oxygen in his lungs. His eyes scan the next part of the text. He’s not blinking.

_Zephyrs are created by accident. They are not born as Zephyrs. Three people are involved: a source of immense power, a strong-willed sorcerer and the future Zephyr. The exact rules for creation have never been studied, as Zephyrs cannot be created on purpose._

_Zephyrs cannot perform any magic. They can only give energy to other magic users. Taking their energy is very painful to them. One should take care of them well to prevent premature death._

Peter stares at the words wide eyed. His stomach flips and he wants to throw up. This can’t be. She can’t be… He grabs his phone and takes a picture of the page. He shuts the book with a loud thud and stares at the binding. His mind races. He must’ve been breathing, because he hasn’t fainted yet, but he can’t feel his chest. Tony didn’t want him to read this. Why? Why does this need to be a secret from them? Why has he been playing them? He feels a sudden ache in his chest, like a dagger. 

_Tony knows._ He knows what Daphne is and yet he hasn’t told them. Stephen must have told him, there’s not other explanation. Peter squeezes his eyes shut. The man he looks up to so much – his mentor – lied to him. Peter can feel the tears resurface and his breath is shaky. The words he read bounce around in his mind, not letting him calm down.

_Enslaved and used…_ Peter shakes his head aggressively and the tears start streaming down his face. He didn’t realize the gravity of what Daphne’s going through and he blames himself for not taking the books sooner. He wipes his cheeks as another intrusive memory flashes in front of him. _Premature death._

…

Peter aggressively drops the books on the floor in the Sanctum.  
“Careful, thief, those are rare copies.” Just like yesterday, Stephen appears at the top of the stairs.  
“Rare, huh?!” Peter scoffs. Stephen cocks an eyebrow.  
“I believe you owe me an apology.”  
“Keep believing, Strange. But I wouldn't count on one.” Peter turns back around to walk out the door, but with a wave of Stephen’s hand it shuts and locks.  
“Woah, there. When did you lose your manners?” Peter glares, but doesn’t turn back to Stephen.  
“Let me out,” he grumbles. “I need to talk to _Tony_.” The short silence that falls is so heavy, both males can feel it drag down their shoulders. Neither of them expected him to say that. Peter called him Tony. Not Mr. Stark. _Tony._

“Peter…?” Stephen tries softly. “Did you read the third book?”  
“I read what I needed to read.” Peter clenches his fists and his jaw twitches.  
“Listen to me, Peter,” Stephen brings his hands up as a signal of peace and slowly walks down the stairs. “I told Stark about what I thought Daphne is. I was never sure and I told Tony to keep his mouth shut. This is on me. Not him.” Peter turns his head and meets Strange’s gaze.  
“Since when do you defend him?!” he sneers. Stephen huffs and shakes his head.  
“I’m not defending him. I’m telling you the truth.” Peter stares at Stephen.  
“What do you mean you weren’t sure? A-about Daphne?” He asks, a little calmer.  
“You saw my library. How should I know where to start looking?” Stephen takes another step and rolls his eyes with a groan. “When I checked her after the kidnapping, I immediately felt that I could draw from her. All I knew was that she is a channeling device and those... Things are rare and wanted.”  
“So, you don’t know what she is?”  
“I know now because of the books you took.” Stephen gestures at the books on the floor with his head. “I have no ill intentions towards Daphne, but I understand that whatever that mist told her about herself is making her distrusting. A Zephyr is rare, Peter. The more people know about what she is, the more danger she is in.” Peter doesn’t look away from the books. He frowns. “I promise, I won’t go near her,” Stephen adds. “I just want you to know you should keep everything you read to yourself.”

“Wait, you want me to not tell Daphne?”  
“My best guess is that she already knows what she is and she can’t engage in conversation with you about it. It will only hurt her.” Stephen crosses his arms and looks at Peter with a cocked head. Peter bites the inside of his cheek and looks back up at Stephen. He’s right, but how is he supposed to not talk about what he read? It was incredibly disturbing. She only recently found out about him being Spider-Man and he felt so much relief, not having to keep secrets from her anymore. And now Stephen expects him to keep another secret? About her?!  
“She deserves to know that I know.” Stephen sighs at that.  
“We kept it from her because it could make her paranoid or scared. She’s a collector’s item, Peter. The moment word gets out that there’s a Zephyr on earth there will be a hefty price on her head and you and I will be a whole lot busier fighting aliens.”  
“Well, you said it’s likely the mist told her.”  
“As long as that Memory Prison spell is active, we won’t know what exactly he told her.”  
“She’s been on edge lately, so she must know something.” Stephen sighs.  
“Do what you want, Pete. Just… Don’t tell anyone else.”  
“I won’t, Doctor Strange.” The corner of Stephen’s mouth curls up at the return of Peter’s politeness. Peter turns around to the door, but pauses mid-turn and looks back at Stephen. “We really do have a school project on the Anemoi, by the way,” he mumbles. “She had a panic attack when she couldn’t read the word ‘Zephyrus’ and that’s why I came here.” Stephen scoffs. The kid really can’t keep a secret.  
“I think it’s best you ask your teacher for a different topic.” He waves his hand and the books float from the floor towards him. “And don’t ambush her with this. Go easy on her.”  
“I will, Doctor.” Peter hears the door behind him unlock.  
“Now, go yell at Stark. I have other things to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stark should be thankful Stephen diffused Peter's anger, but a confrontation is still very much necessary! I have completely worked out how Zephyrs work and there may be a twist to them. 👀👀👀👀 But that's for later. :P
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	65. Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter confronts Tony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> M O R E - A N G S T

“Hope you learned your lesson,” Tony says when Peter walks into the lab. It’s dark out and he only just finished picking out the dead nanobots. Tony stands up to greet Peter properly, but he doesn’t reply and simply passes Tony to get to his own desk. “Um, rude.” Tony turns around to Peter with his eyebrows raised. Peter still doesn’t reply and takes out his laptop and notepad. He sits down at the desk and gets to work. Tony scoffs. “Oh, so you’re ignoring me now?”  
“Am I?” Peter snarls.  
“Jeez, kid.” Tony walks towards him. “Don’t go acting like you did the right thing. You did the exact thing you catch others for. Stealing.” Peter finally looks Tony in the eye and cocks an eyebrow. He purses his lips and takes a breath.  
“’Hey, Mr. Stark, could I maybe show Ned what I’m working on in the lab?’” Peter quotes himself from a while back and puts on a lower voice to impersonate Tony.  
“’Nah, kid, no outsiders allowed in Avengers Tower.’” He angles his head and uses his regular voice.  
“’Hey, Mr. Stark, there’s this girl I really like and she has a weird effect on me, Could I borrow some tech so I can figure out what’s going on?’” He brings his chin down to his neck to impersonate Tony’s low voice again.  
“’Sure thing, kid–‘“ He pitches his voice slightly- “Ring, ring!” -before bringing it back down again to his Tony voice “’Hey, why are your vitals doing what they’re doing? No testing outside the lab.’” Tony stares at Peter’s one-man-show. It’s amusing, but it’s also worrying. This is going somewhere Tony had hoped it wouldn’t. Peter keeps his voice low. “’So, _Daph_, I generally hate outsiders and don’t want any strangers walking around in my labs but here, let me give you the exact same clearance Peter has so you can ghost around Avengers Tower whenever you please.’” The sarcasm seeps off ‘Tony’s’ words.

“Kid-“  
“Don’t ‘kid’ me now, Mr. Stark!” Peter stands up from his desk with enough force that the chair rolls quite a bit away from him. “How long did you know about Daphne?”  
“Know what?” Tony remains calm. Panicking would only make him less believable to Peter, though he’s fairly certain the kid knows. Which is enough reason to start panicking, to be honest.  
“How long.” It’s not even a question anymore. Peter’s angry. Tony presses his lips on top of each other, causing Peter to roll his eyes in frustration. “You never let any random people in the Tower yet right after Daphne gets kidnapped, she’s welcome whenever she wants.” Peter starts pacing through he the room. “You’ve given her special treatment the second you found out she makes my nerves go haywire. Why? Because you know. You know what she is,” Peter says accusingly. He glares at Tony.  
“Fine!” Tony finally yells back. “But in my defense, I was curious about her because of her electricity levels. Didn’t know about the channeling device stuff until Stephen told me after Loki took her.”  
“But why give her clearance to nearly the entire compound?”  
“Maybe I just want to keep an eye on her, okay? If she feels welcome, she’ll come by more often. I don’t want anything to happen to her as much as you do, Pete.”  
“But why do you care about her?! For whose sake?!”

Tony’s eye twitches. The kid’s onto him and he hates it.  
“You know whose.” He nods once at Peter. Peter’s shoulders relax slightly and his eyebrows curl up into a frown.  
“I can take care of myself.” Peter’s voice cracks.  
“Peter, you’re sixteen and also radioactive. Your senses are heightened and you might not notice the effect she has on you, but everyone else does.” Peter looks at Tony confused, so he continues after taking a deep breath. “You’re seriously going to tell me you haven’t noticed your emotional outbursts?”  
“My what now?” Something in Peter snaps and he tenses up again.  
“Anger, Pete. You’ve been angry a lot more.” Peter clenches his jaw.  
“Angry?!” Peter's eyes go wide as he scoffs and looks away for a second. “What- so I’m not allowed to feel anymore? I’m not one of your robots, _Tony_!” 

Tony stares at the kid. _His_ kid. He’d called him by his first name. Tony blinks a few times as an uncomfortable silence settles between them. Peter stares back at him, waiting for a reply. Tony had imagined the first time Peter would say his first name to sound very different. Maybe while they’d play an intense round of video games or when they cooked together and he’d absentmindedly ask for an ingredient. Or something more meaningful, like a special day or occasion. A wedding day? He even imagined he would never get to hear it himself. That Peter would always call him Mr. Stark and that only friends and family would hear Peter say Tony at Tony’s funeral. Or something like that. He always imagined it to be soft, in a way. He never expected to hear his name fall from Peter’s lips in anger and it hurt him more than it probably should.

“I’m sorry,” Tony says, instantly diffusing Peter’s rage. Tony rarely apologized and as manipulative as the ex-arms dealer could be, it sounded sincere. Peter’s still breathing quickly and shakes his head slightly.  
“I know I’m not an adult,” Peter whines softly. “But in the lab, you make me feel like we’re equal and I thought we could tell each other everything.”  
“I do tell you everything.”  
“No, you _don’t._” Peter’s voice cracks and Tony can see the tears form in his eyes. “I trust you with all I have and I’m just- I’m so _fucking_ naive!” Peter winces at his own words, silently apologizing to his uncle Ben.  
“Peter-“ Tony gasps.  
“I’m sorry-“ he murmurs. “I’m just… I’m so fed up with lies. And lying. And I’m scared and-“ he interrupts himself and looks at the windows. It's dark outside and the lab is completely reflected in the glass; like a mirror. “I’m at my limit, Mr. Stark…”

No. No, this kid can’t be burnt out. He’s only sixteen. Teens shouldn’t get burn outs. Tony grabs Peter’s arm and pulls him in for a sudden, tight hug. Peter doesn’t hug him back. His arms hang next to his body and he keeps staring at the window. Or, more specifically, the reflection of Tony hugging Peter. It almost feels like it's not actually happening. Like Peter's not actually here. He stares at his reflection as if he's watching himself in third person.  
“You shouldn’t be sorry, kid…” Tony takes a breath and squeezes Peter, which snaps him out of his dissociating state. “I should’ve told you, regardless of what Stephen said.” Tony bites his bottom lip when he feels the teen shake under him. “I should’ve told you,” he repeats. Peter’s hands slowly creep up Tony’s back, to embrace Tony like he is embracing Peter. “You don’t deserve any of this crap.” Peter hides his face into Tony's chest and sniffs.  
“Neither does Daphne.” Peter’s voice comes out monotone.  
“Agreed,” Tony says simply.

It’s quiet for a bit, but they don’t let go of each other. Their grips on each other are tight and it surprises Tony how little he cares about Peter nearly breaking his ribs with his power. Neither of them realized how much they needed this.  
“I did grow to like her, by the way,” Tony chuckles quietly. “Through you and what you tell me about her. And the time she’s spent here.” Tony’s thoughts wander to when a confused Peter asked Tony if it was normal for love songs to suddenly make sense. Tony smiles.  
“So, you admit you didn’t like her when we were first doing the tests?” Tony scoffs at Peter’s muffled voice.  
“I honestly deserve an Oscar for my performance. I believe I only broke character when I told you to ‘un-like her’.” Peter’s shoulders jolt slightly and a wave of peace flows over Tony. The kid is laughing again. “For real, though, I just didn’t want her to hurt you. I did actually start to like her later that evening. She keeps up with my jokes.”  
“That’s self-centred of you, Mr. Stark.”  
“You know me, kid.” He pats Peter on the back a few times before finally pulling away. He looks at the teen’s face. It’s red and puffy. Peter sniffs and looks away embarrassed. Tony bites the inside of his cheek. He can't help but worry for Peter. He's just a kid. He shouldn't have to deal with any of this. Tony reminds himself goody two-shoes Peter Parker would be Spider-Man regardless of Tony being in his life. He'd rather guide him through, give him the best suits, arrange appointments with the best psychologists and doctors than let him get himself killed in the pajamas he once used for his hero suit. Still, the kid didn't deserve the pain. He didn't deserve the trauma.  
“I want to tell her,” Peter says quietly.  
“I know you do.”  
“But I’m not sure if I can.” Tony sends Peter an encouraging smile, only lifting one corner of his mouth.  
“Sure, you can,” he says with a nod, patting his shoulder. “But-“ he adds quickly. “You can tell her here, with me. If you want.” Peter nods slowly and looks down at his feet.  
“I might just…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you ever just hurt yourself with the dialogue you come up with? Cause Peter yelling at Tony that he's not one of his robots hit me hard. Poor Pete ): Just give him blankets and hot chocolate and happiness. I mean, I know that's my job, but like... Plot. 😂


	66. Anonymous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter calls Daphne to invite her to the Tower for a talk, but their conversation gets interrupted by a hooded figure with a silver arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't able to write yesterday and also didn't have much time today, so it's a short chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Daphne’s walking home from ballet class on Tuesday when Peter calls her. He evaded her all day at school and skipped ballet class. He was acting off. She doesn’t know why and it irks her. What happened? Did she do something wrong?  
“Hey Do-Daph,” he corrects himself. Daphne frowns. Why would he not say the nickname he has for her?  
“Hey, Pete,” she replies simply.  
“I- eh… Could you maybe stop by Avengers Tower? I’m with Mr. Stark right now and we… I want to discuss something with you.” He sounds worried, which concerns Daphne. Something is definitely up. She stops walking for a second as Avengers Tower is the opposite way and she looks down at her feet.  
“Yeah- yeah, Pete, of course. I’m not far, I’ll be there in five. Are you okay?”  
“Yeah, I just… It’s important.” Daphne’s mouth goes dry. What does he want to talk about? Why does he sound so out of it?

Suddenly, a shiver runs down her spine and her hand instinctively clutches her backpack, moving it to her chest. She looks up at where the feeling’s coming from and her eyes go wide. There’s a figure on the opposite side of the road. Black pants. Black hoodie. Face hidden in the hood as he looks down. The light from the nearby shop is reflected on his hand. It’s… silver. “Daph?” Daphne stands frozen in place as she stares at the figure.  
“Pete-“ Her voice only barely comes out.  
“Is everything alright?” She shakes her head, which he obviously can’t see. “Daph, talk to me.”  
“D… David-” She manages to push out. She yelps quietly as the figure suddenly crosses the street, headed for her in a straight line.  
“What’s going on?!” Peter asks worried. Daphne turns to run away, nearly dropping her backpack. She clutches it tightly, hoping her feet are faster than _his_. “Where are you right now?!” Peter asks sternly.  
“I’m running your way! Just- just don’t hurt him, he needs help!” She looks behind her, only to see him still running after her. She lets out another yelp and stumbles, her phone still pressed to her ear. Peter’s talking to her, but she’s not hearing him. There’s no noise in her head. All she hears is his footsteps and her own heartbeat. 

“FUCK!” She runs into someone and barely scrambles to continue fleeing David. Her phone is on the ground, the screen is completely in pieces. Her bag also fell. Luckily, the zipper was shut, so nothing fell out. She shoots a quick glance at the person she ran into, but can’t find it in herself to help right now. She has to go. “I’m so sorry, sorry- I can’t-“ Before she can finish her sentence, she feels something hit her side and she’s lifted up into the air. She shrieks until she feels a familiar arm wrap around her waist.  
”I got you,” Spider-Man says. Her feet dangle far above ground and she moves to grab onto Peter with all her limbs, like a Koala. She still hates how the adrenaline feels in her stomach, so she doesn’t reply and simply nods into his chest as he swings her to a nearby building. He sticks to the windows, slightly widening his stance and leaning backwards, so Daphne can sit on his lap with her legs wrapped around him.

“You okay?” Daphne doesn’t let go of Spider-Man. He can feel her shaking against him.  
“I don’t know,“ she mutters. She blinks a few times. “Is he gone?” His body moves beneath her. He’s looking around for David, but can’t seem to find him. A crowd has started to gather below them.  
“Can’t see him,” he sighs. “Karen, did the tracker hit the target?” Spider-Man’s quiet for a second, listening to his AI. “Great, thanks.” She releases her breath against his chest and he lets go of the wall with one hand to pet the top of her head.

“Keep it PG, please.” Iron Man appears next to them suddenly, hovering mid-air, referring to the way Daphne’s sitting on top of Peter. They blush profusely, though both their faces are hidden by the Spider suit. Daphne wants to turn her head, but gets interrupted by Tony. “You might want to keep hiding your face, kid. People pulled out their phones, so if you want to stay anonymous, you’re better off covering up.” Daphne nods into Spider-Man’s chest again and convulsively lets go of him to reach for the hood of her winter coat. She quickly pulls it over her head and brings her hand back to Spider-Man’s neck for grip. She really doesn’t want to fall.  
“I dropped my phone and bag,” she whispers.  
“You want me to get them for you?” Peter asks.  
“Already on it,” Stark says. “Get her to the tower, kid.” Iron Man moves to the crowd, who instantly step to the side. Daphne huffs.  
“We’re going to have to swing, don’t we?” she whines softly.  
“Sorry,” he replies.  
“Don’t be.” She presses a kiss on the Spider logo on his chest. “Just… Don’t let go.”  
“I wouldn’t dare, Dove.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all need a Protective Peter ParkerTM in our lives. <3 I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	67. Common Ground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Daphne climb up Avengers Tower and are met with Team Cap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That moment when you realize you're over 100k words into your fic and you haven't revealed Daphne's last name yet. :O Excuse! You'll finally learn it today, haha!

“Ca-can’t we just take the elevator the rest of the way?”  
“We’re almost there, Dove.” Spider-Man is climbing his way up to the Avengers Tower penthouse.  
“Don’t know if you noticed, but the air is a little thin up here,” Daphne pants. She painstakingly holds onto Peter and her muscles are starting to cramp. “And I _still_ don’t like heights!”  
“You were fine with the little den I built in the lab?” Spider-Man chuckles. A gust of wind makes Daphne yelp and cling onto him even tighter, if that were even possible.  
“That was inside!” She shouts into his chest. “Not over 60 stories up against a high-rise or swinging through the streets at at least 30 miles an hour!” Spider-Man stops moving and sticks his knees against the windows, so Daphne can relax her legs that were wrapped around his waist. She rests herself on him and leans back until her back is against the window. Her hands are still holding on to his shoulders and his arms stick to the window on both sides of her head. Daphne stares at herself in his lenses, taking deep breaths.

“You picked the wrong superhero to call your boyfriend, then.” Daphne gasps quietly, not believing her ears. He called himself her boyfriend. It’s the first time she’s ever heard him say that word but it feels so right. It almost tickles her ears. “Ah- sorry, I didn’t mean to-“  
“Say it again,” she whispers. Pushing her head forward until their foreheads touch. She can feel him go rigid beneath her.  
“Wha- that I’m your…” He pauses, unsure if that’s what she meant.  
“Boyfriend,” she finishes the sentence for him and smiles, letting their noses touch and forgetting for a second that her feet are dangling at least 600 feet up in the air. Peter’s stickiness is all that’s keeping them up there, but she trusts him unconditionally. He’s got her.

She can feel Peter’s breath quickening under his mask. The heat emanating from his body is in straight contrast with the cold wind blowing against them. He must be blushing. There’s no denying.  
“And you’re… You’re my-“  
“Girlfriend,” she teases him by pressing a peck on his masked lips.  
“I like the sound of that,” he mutters with a quiet scoff. She can practically hear him smile through his words. He clears his throat. “Though, as much as I’d like to kiss you right now…” He moves her head to look inside. “We’re at level with Mr. Rogers’ sleeping quarters.” Daphne realizes what he means with that and immediately pushes herself against him again.  
“Keep climbing, please,” she says quickly. Now it’s her turn to have bright red cheeks.

…

Daphne didn’t think there would be people in the penthouse. Though, with it being the main living quarters, she should’ve expected it. Peter and Daphne had climbed in via the main balcony and there was a small group of people in the lounge corner. The attention of the group of Avengers shifts from the TV to the duo and they both freeze as they stand next to each other awkwardly. One of the men immediately bursts out laughing.  
“Yo, Pete, this is legit the worst way to sneak in a girl.” Before Peter or Daphne can reply, the man gets hit in the face with a couch pillow.  
“Shut up, Sam.” Daphne looks at who threw the pillow. A red-head. She’s stunning and her voice is surprisingly deep. She recognizes her from the kidnapping.

Daphne looks at the other two men and holds her breath. Steve Rogers. _Captain America._ He’s right there. On the couch. Staring at her. Next to him sits a man with shoulder length brown hair. He was part of the rescue squad too. The brown-haired man looks amused at the situation. Daphne bites the inside of her cheek.  
“Sorry for interrupting,” she mutters, looking down at her feet. She hears Peter shuffle next to her and she’s startled when she realizes one of the people on the couch stands up to walk towards her. She looks back up and is met with a large chest. She has to look further up to look him in the eyes. It’s difficult for Daphne to comprehend that it’s Captain _fucking_ America. 

He holds out his hand to her.  
“We didn’t have the chance to meet properly last time.” He smiles encouragingly and Daphne feels like she could disappear into the ground. Saying that he’s looking down on her is an understatement. That man is as tall as Loki is. A literal god. How is it possible that she’s intimidated by him, but has no issues with Loki? Possibly because Loki is lean and this man looks like he could lift an airplane. Which he probably can. Can he? Not important right now. She clears her throat to beat her brain back to reality and she hesitantly takes his hand to shake it. “Rogers. Steve Rogers.” Daphne nods.  
“Daphne,” she says quickly. “Birch.”  
“What brings you to the tower, Daphne Birch?” When they let go, Steve rubs his thumb over his fingers from the hand he just held her with. He looks at it confused for a second. Daphne looks back at Peter, who’s taken off his mask.  
“She, um… Her stalker…” he mumbles.  
“It’s a long story,” she adds simply. She notices Steve is still looking at his hand. “A-are you okay Mr. Rogers?”

“It tingles.” Daphne shoots a quick glance at Peter, who looks just about as shocked as she is.  
“Anything else?” Peter asks.  
“Not really. Just a funny feeling.” Steve looks back up at Daphne, or well, down at Daphne. “Are you doing that?”  
“It’s a side effect,” Daphne explains. “From the, eh… Lightning strike.”  
“Really?” He clenches his hand into a fist and relaxes his muscles again. “That’s neat.”  
“Doesn’t it hurt?” She asks carefully. Steve shakes his head.  
“Nah, kid, I’m okay. Why’d you ask?” All eyes are on her and she _hates_ it. She looks back at Peter, who shrugs casually.  
“I- I have unstable electricity levels in my body and Dr. Banner felt it too.”  
“Wait, you hurt Bruce?” Natasha sits up straight suddenly.  
“No- no, she didn’t,” Peter butts in. “I… She has this weird effect on me? She over-stimulates my nerve endings, so I have to wear a regulator.” Sam can’t help but laugh.  
“Sure, she does, kid.” Peter goes red at the suggestion and disputes it.  
“No- it’s just- my vitals go haywire. Dangerous levels.”  
“For real?” Sam asks, now concerned. Daphne nods.

“People who are enhanced apparently notice my electricity levels. Normal people don’t.” She turns to Peter. “Pete has the addition of extreme hypersensitivity, so I… I think I could kill him if he didn’t wear the regulator.” Peter swallows at the thought. He never really considered that, though with everything that she did to him when he wasn’t wearing that regulator yet, it makes sense. His heart would beat so fast, it wouldn’t be abnormal if it gave out.  
“And so, you decided to date her?” The brown-haired man says nonchalant. Daphne presses her lips on top of each other.  
“You know that’s not how love works.” Peter defends himself and Sam laughs yet again.  
“Hormones, you mean.” Sam gets hit in the head by another pillow.  
“Stop being rude!” The red headed woman gets up from the couch and walks to Daphne, bumping Steve to the side with her hip. She smiles and cocks an eyebrow. “Please ignore them. They’re from the Middle Ages.”  
“Hey!” Sam protests. “I’m from ’79!” The red-head doesn’t reply and just grins wide at Daphne.  
“Natasha,” she says simply. “I heard you do higher level ballet?” Daphne nods vaguely.  
“I do.” She looks down at her feet.  
“Well, we’ve got common ground on that, then.”  
“You dance?” Daphne looks back up at Natasha, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.  
“Grew up with it. In Russia.” Natasha purposefully leaves out where she learned the art form. “I still practice alone. I don’t really have anyone who can keep up with me.” She winks and then cocks an eyebrow at Daphne. Daphne catches on and smirks.  
“Is that a challenge?”  
“Maybe.” Natasha puts her hands on her hips. “Let’s set a date after you tell us about this stalker situation.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing Peter and Daphne climbing the tower omg. <3 <3 Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	68. There You Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne and the Avengers track David down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Are y'all ready for some stressful shit!?"
> 
> "Nooo!"
> 
> "Me neither."

“Here’s your stuff.” Iron Man tosses Daphne her bag and she catches it with both hands. Tony walks out of his suit and stretches his back. “Any clue where our little tracker is headed?” Daphne assumes the question isn’t directed towards her and immediately opens her bag, suddenly stressed.  
_Where is it. Where is it. Where-_ She sighs in quiet relief when her hands grab hold of the little Muninn charm she got from Loki. It’s right where she left it. She couldn’t imagine what would happen if it were to fall into the wrong hands. 

“I’ve got your phone here, if you’re looking for that,” Tony says casually. He holds it up and grimaces. The screen is completely shattered and there’s a big dent in the side. “It’s dead.”  
“Great,” Daphne groans. She walks towards Tony to take it from him, but he pulls it back.  
“I might be able to retrieve what’s on it, though.”  
“That’s alright, Mr. Stark, I’m already enough of a nuisance.” She reaches for the phone again, but he pulls even further.  
“David’s a nuisance. You’re not,” he says simply. He cocks his head and one corner of his mouth raises slightly. He pushes the phone in his pocket and walks to the dining table, which, unsurprisingly, doubles as a computer table.

Team Cap also gathered around the table and Peter taps away at the holograms.  
“David’s near Central Park,” he says as he swipes away unnecessary information. Daphne freezes. When did her dad get off his shift again? She stares at the map ahead of her.  
“I need to borrow someone’s phone,” she breathes.  
“Why?” Steve frowns.  
“My dad.” Her reply is shaky. Peter and Tony realize what she means.  
“Shit-“ Tony grabs his own phone from another pocket, unlocks it and immediately hands it to her. “I hope you know his number by heart. Only Pep has your dad’s number and she’s out.”  
“I- I think I do.” She starts typing and brings the phone to her ear. She stares at the red dot on the map that’s slowly moving towards the zoo.

“Buck, I want you on this one.” Stark says bluntly. The brown-haired man raises an eyebrow.  
“Wha- why me specifically?”  
“Our target is a teen with a silver arm.” The guy Tony referred to as ‘Buck’ scoffs.  
“Very funny.”  
“I’m serious.”  
“Fine.”  
“I’ll tag along,” Sam says with a nod. They make their way to the elevator. “Let’s make this quick.” Steve follows too and nods at Natasha.  
“You alright with the techies?”  
“I’ll manage,” she replies with a smirk. Daphne’s only half listening, partially amazed at how calm and casually they’re handling this. The phone is still beeping.

“Come on, dad, pick up, pick up!” she says through gritted teeth. The red dot is now at the entrance of the zoo and it pauses for a little bit. It feels like Daphne’s heart stops beating for a second as she realizes David’s going to have to get past security. _Tao._  
“Derek speaking-“  
“Dad! Dad, fuck, where are you?”  
“Woah, Daph, what’s wrong?”  
“Where are you?!” she repeats.  
“I’m at the zoo?” It’s past closing time, so there should be no one else there anymore.  
“I know you’re at the zoo- where are you exactly?”  
“The grizzlies, I’m on my way out- Daph, what’s going on, is everything alright?”  
“Dad, I need you to listen to me and do exactly what I tell you to do.”  
“Not before you tell me what’s up.”  
“There’s no time for discussion. Just do it.” Daphne doesn’t notice the slightly surprised faces that are staring at her. Peter knew she could be direct, but didn’t expect her to remain so collected in this situation.

“Alright, alright,” Derek says. The red dot starts moving again and stops at the central part of the zoo; the sea lions. It starts pacing up and down.  
“Dad, I need you to walk up to the snow leopards and make your way to the exit without passing the sea lions.  
“O-okay.” She can hear him shuffle on the other side of the line. “That’s quite a detour.”  
“Pass above the snow monkeys, through the Tropic Zone, Intelligence Garden and exit the park through the café.”  
“Daph, can you please explain to me what’s going on?” He pants slightly and Daphne is grateful he’s picking up the pace.  
“Psychopath on the loose. I’m at Avengers Tower. We’re tracking him. Help is on the way. I’m keeping you updated on his location,” she says in short direct sentences, her eyes still locked on the red dot.  
“Wha- a psychopath?”  
“Don’t. Just get out of there the way I told you to and don’t hang up.”

…

Daphne’s gaze is still fixated on the red dot. It’s been about three minutes since she told her father which way to go.  
“Mr. Stark, does the team know about the rule?” she says suddenly, causing everyone to look at her confused.  
“The… Rule?”  
“Silver mist,” she says simply. Her dad’s still on the other side of the line, but he’s not replying.  
“Wha- the touching thing?” Tony raises his eyebrows. “You think that applies to him too?”  
“Don’t know,” she replies. “But I’d rather not find out the hard way.” Daphne glances at Peter, but quickly brings her view back to the map. Stark nods.  
“I’ll let them know.”  
“Daph, can you please give me any information on what’s going on?” Her father pleads.  
“It’s a long story and my priority is getting you out of there,” Daphne says determined. She looks at Tony and gestures at the phone. She mouths to him to put her father on speaker and Stark arranges it with a flick of his wrist. “Where are you now?”  
“Entering the Tropic Zone.” Daphne takes the phone away from her ear and hands it back to Tony when her father’s voice echoes through the living quarters.  
“Good.” She stares at the dot and frowns. “He stopped pacing,” she notes. Natasha swipes a few boxes and suddenly there’s video footage in front of them.  
“Cracked the security cams. Let’s see where he is.” Natasha presses a few buttons. “Sea lions, right?”  
“He should be at the north side of the sea lion enclosure, yeah.”

Daphne holds her breath when the video footage of the tracker’s location popped up. David’s not there, but they can very clearly see the tracker on the ground.  
“Fuck,” she whispers. “Dad are you still there?”  
“I am, m’nearing the exit of the Tropic Zone.”  
“Any place you can hide?”  
“Daph, what’s going on?”  
“He found the tracker. Dropped it,” she answers quickly. Natasha flicks through all the security cams.  
“Found your dad,” she says. She puts the feed on Derek to the side. “Now where is… Oh, boy.” Daphne stares at the security footage.  
“Dad, turn around. Walk out where you came in. Now.”  
“Well, this certainly is a great way to get my step counter up.”  
“Good to know you’re still in the mood to crack jokes.”  
“Well, I don’t know what’s threatening me.”  
“It’s better that you don’t.” Daphne purses her lips. “I wouldn’t want to know.” She doesn’t notice Peter and Tony exchanging concerned glances at her words.  
“Derek, you should probably take some bigger strides,” Tony joins the conversation.  
“Stark?” Daphne’s father asks confused, but it quickly turns to quiet anger. “Why is my daughter involved in all of this?! ” Stark remains calm and answers nonchalantly.  
“David’s the psychopath.”

It’s quiet for a little bit as Natasha manoeuvres around the different cameras, following both Derek and David through the tropical greens and over the wooden walkways. David had made his way to the entrance of the Tropic Zone and Derek is almost at the exit again. They can hear the nocturnal bats shriek through the speakers at the unexpected company.  
“Alright; Cap, Bucky and Sam have suited up and are on the move,” Peter says. He’s keeping an eye on the squad. “Sam’s flying ahead, should be there in two.”  
“Think you can hold out for a few more minutes, dad?”  
“Do I have a choice?”  
“Not really,” Stark says before sucking at his teeth. “Just don’t approach him. Consider him, eh… Armed.” Daphne cocks an eyebrow at the horrible pun.

“He’s right behind you, can you hide in any of the enclosures?” Natasha asks.  
“This place is one big enclosure, but I might be able to go in the back with the lemurs,” Derek mumbles quickly. He changes his course and ducks behind some large leaves. David stomps through the Tropic Zone and Daphne presses her lips on top of each other. He looks so angry. Why is he so angry?  
“Go there, he’s taken another turn,” Natasha notes. They can see Derek nod as he makes his way behind the lemur enclosure.  
“Base, come in,” Sam says over the coms. Natasha perks up.  
“We’re here, Falcon.”  
“How far are you?” Tony asks.  
“At the entrance right now. Daphne’s suspicions were right, the guard’s hand is silver.”

“No,” Daphne whispers. A sudden weight lands on her shoulders and it feels like there’s a hole in her gut. “Tao.”  
“He’s okay, though. Can’t move his fingers anymore.”  
“Don’t touch him.” Stark orders.  
“Too late man, I helped him up by his other arm. I think only the silver shit is contagious.”  
“Can he hear us?” Daphne asks quietly. Stark shakes his head. “Please, tell him I’m sorry.”  
“No can do, pal. This is not your fault,” Sam says. Daphne clenches her fists in frustration, but shifts her attention when Natasha talks.  
“Derek, David just passed you. If you’re quiet you can make your way out now.” They all hold their breaths as Derek slowly opens the door of the enclosure and moves back to the pathways. He has his laptop bag over his shoulder and shuffles as quickly as he can to the exit. All of them freeze when they hear David shout.  
“THERE YOU ARE!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> S U S P E N S E !
> 
> Also, please, allow me to highlight:  
_“Well, I don’t know what’s threatening me.”_  
_“It’s better that you don’t.” Daphne purses her lips. “I wouldn’t want to know.” She doesn’t notice Peter and Tony exchanging concerned glances at her words._
> 
> For no particular reason, cough.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! ^_^


	69. Origin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter tells Daphne about the event that changed his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did somebody say ANGST?!
> 
> Warning! A character's death is described. Guns are involved. Please be mindful if you're sensitive to this! <3
> 
> Chapter 69. Nice. 😏

Steve and Bucky rush past the entrance gates towards the Tropic Zone while Sam takes care of Tao. They accelerated the second they heard Daphne yell for her father through their earpieces. David had found Derek and from what the super soldiers could tell; the man was being chased. Steve opens the glass doors into the habitat and they rush through the clear PVC barrier that helps keep the animals inside. Natasha informs them that they lost contact with Derek, but that they were able to inform him not to move and not to touch David before he dropped the phone.

They take a left turn and Bucky groans, rolling the shoulder that holds his metal arm.  
“My arm really doesn’t like this humidity.”  
“Thought that arm’s indestructible,” Steve quips back.  
“Oh, it is.” Bucky shrugs. “It just tends to respond a little slower.” Steve raises his eyebrows.  
“Thanks for telling me this _before_ we walked into humid paradise.” Bucky jogs past him and waves with one hand.  
“We’ll be fiiiine.”  
“Oh, _we_? It's your arm, Buck,” Steve follows Bucky to the other side of the Tropic Zone, where they spot their target and his hostage.

…

“Daph, I think it’s better if you leave the room for a bit.” Tony places a hand on her shoulder and starts applying pressure to push her towards the elevator. She whips around to face him and he blinks when her hair hits him in the face.  
“No fucking way.”  
“I’m not asking.” He gives her a stern look and raises one eyebrow. “Peter, get her out of here.” Peter freezes at the command for a second but suddenly nods, understanding why Tony wants her elsewhere. He shuffles towards Daphne. 

The oxygen seems to have disappeared out of the room. Daphne gives Peter a look of betrayal and turns back to Tony, stomping her foot like a child.  
“That’s _my_ dad out there! I deserve to be here!”  
“I know- but if anything goes wrong, I don’t want you to see it. So, out.” He waves at the elevator and the tears burn in her eyes when the doors open at Tony’s distant command. “You did well, kid. Please, let us handle this.” Daphne pulls away from Tony, seething. The first tear starts running down her cheek.  
“No!”  
“No offense, but everyone with an earpiece can hear this argument and it’s distracting.” Natasha clicks her tongue, not looking away from the screens. Daphne ignores her and stands defiantly opposite Tony. She doesn’t care who he is. What he’s capable of. The amount of money he has. She deserves to be here. She deserves to know what’s going to happen next.  
“I’m _not_ leaving him,” she says through gritted teeth, not breaking eye contact with Tony. The stand off doesn’t take long, though, as Daphne feels a soft hand tugging at her arm.

“Please, Daph,” Peter says, his voice cracking. “This is better for you.” She turns to him with no idea what she should be feeling right now. White specks cover her eyesight. “Believe me.”  
“This is not about what’s better for me, Parker!” Peter stares at her wide-eyed. She’s never called him by his last name before and it stung somehow. He takes a breath, almost certain he’s going to regret his next move. He bends down and quickly grabs her by the waist, hoisting her over his shoulder and making his way to the elevator. “Peter!” She yelps and struggles and punches and kicks. But it’s not affecting him. At least not physically. “Let go of me!”  
“25 tons,” he mumbles, hoping that would be enough for her to give up the useless fight. But she doesn’t. She keeps jolting and striking and… sobbing. Peter’s heart shatters into a million pieces as he carries her into the elevator. She yells for her father one last time before the doors close. The inflection of the word shooting through everyone listening as if it were a lightning strike, splitting them in two.

…

The elevator starts moving and Peter finally puts Daphne down. She immediately pushes herself away from him and makes her way into the corner, hugging herself.  
“How could you?!” She shouts. Her eyes are pressed closed and her head is angled down. “How _could_ you?!” She repeats.  
“Daph, please, just-“  
“He’s going to get hurt, isn’t he?!” She pushes out each and every word, having difficulty speaking through her sobs. Peter holds his hands up in front of him, unsure of what to do next.  
“We don’t know that yet, it’s just… he might…” Daphne finally looks up at Peter.  
“He might _what_?!” Her face is completely red and her cheeks are puffed. He takes a step towards her to hug her but she punches him in the chest. For real this time. Not as a joke. And it hurts. She starts struggling again as he grabs her wrists. “Pe-heter, stop! Please, let me go back up, I beg you, ple—eh!” She can’t finish her sentence as he wraps his arms around her in a forced hug. Her shoulders jolt against him and she eventually stops pushing. He’s unsure if she stopped because she gave up, or if she simply needed the hug. He doesn’t dare to pick which is the truth. 

She doesn’t stop crying and makes herself small in Peter’s embrace, pulling in her arms against her chest. F.R.I.D.A.Y. moves the elevator down slowly, probably according to Tony’s commands. He bites the inside of his cheek. He’s never seen Daphne in this much distress before and her sobs chill him to the bone. His lip trembles as he finally starts speaking.  
“I watched my uncle get shot,” he says quietly. He doesn’t know if she’s actually listening through her tears, but he continues anyways. “Every day of my life I regret not stopping the people that killed him.” She sniffs and shuffles tighter against him. “I’d only just gotten my powers, but I didn’t want anything to do with them. So, I started ignoring what was happening around me. I even started ignoring the people I would’ve helped without my powers, like the old lady I still regularly help cross the street. I stopped helping people altogether.” Daphne’s breathing is still erratic, but she’s calming down slightly. She’s listening.

“It was late and I was getting some snacks from the 24-hour shop when two shoplifters walked in. Threatened the owner with a gun. I was hiding.” He pauses to take a breath. “They ran off with the contents of the till and I pretended nothing had happened. Paid for my food. Told the shop owner I was sorry about what happened. And I walked out, not waiting for the police to arrive.” Daphne’s arms start creeping around his torso to hug him back. “My uncle had seen the shoplifters run out from the other side of the road. He was on his way home from work. He went after them. I’d had a fight with him the day before. Don’t even remember what it was about anymore. It was that stupid,” he scoffs. “He ended the fight by saying he loved me. I didn’t say it back. I wish I had.”

Daphne turns her head to face out, placing her ear against his chest. His heart’s beating fast. So is hers.  
“I followed my uncle, in his pursuit of the thugs. I wanted to stop him. Tell him it wasn’t worth it. And just when I went around the corner into the alleyway, I heard the gunshot. And I saw my uncle. I saw the bullet pushing through his body. Ricocheting off the wall and disappearing out of sight. I saw the shoplifters making a break for it as my uncle crumpled to the ground. He fell in a puddle. It turned red. I watched him die.” It’s dead silent in the elevator. The only noise interrupting it, is F.R.I.D.A.Y. announcing each floor they pass. “That’s why I became Spider-Man.” He rests his cheek on her hair and frowns, holding back the tears. “Because I don’t want anyone else to see a loved one get hurt.” He half-laughs at himself. “Boy, do I think I’m sad.” She squeezes him softly. “My uncle always said: ‘with great power comes great responsibility.’” His shoulders droop. “When you can do the things that I can, but you don't, then the bad things-“  
“-happen because of you…” Daphne finishes the sentence he’s told her so many times now.

He slowly pushes her away from him and holds her face, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. He sighs and gives her a worried look.  
“I wish I never saw him die. Every time I dream, I see it happen all over again. And again. And again. And I know what’s going to happen. I know I want to stop it. But I can’t. It just plays out like a movie that I already know the ending of. And it always ends the same. Because of me.” She stares up at him, her shoulders jolting again as she takes a short breath. “I don’t want you to go through what I have to go through nearly every night.” He presses a long kiss on her forehead. “You don’t deserve that.” He presses his forehead against hers and they both close their eyes.  
“I’m sorry…”  
“S’okay…” They stand in the moving elevator in silence for a little while longer. Peter can practically hear her brain process everything.  
“Do you think he’s going to get hurt?” Her voice is soft, frail almost.  
“I don’t know,” he answers honestly. “We’ll have to wait.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Felt really out of it yesterday because of something that happened at work, but reading all your kind comments when I got home is _so_ nice. Made me feel a lot better. Thank you so much for sticking with me! <3


	70. Fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fine is a dangerous word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing to the fic: S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury (and also Dimitri).

Daphne and Peter are in his sleeping quarters at Avengers Tower. It’s been two hours. _Two_ hours. Daphne’s on the edge of the bed, blankly staring ahead with a glass of water in her hand. Peter watches her, worried. They heard a lot of commotion about an hour ago, but F.R.I.D.A.Y. told them to stay in Peter’s room for the time being. The longer the wait takes, the more Peter sees the life draining out of Daphne’s eyes. The worst thing is that he can’t do anything about the situation. All he can do is be here for her, but it’s not enough. Not to him. 

“You said you wanted to talk to me about something…” She mutters, breaking Peter’s trance. Daphne’s still staring at nothing, not moving.  
“Wha-“ He pauses. _Zephyr._ The word ghosts through his head, but he can’t bring himself to explain it to her now. There’s already enough going on. Telling her she’s a collector’s item that’s often enslaved by sorcerers is the last thing she should hear right now. Especially since she literally told her dad that she wouldn’t want to know about a threat like this. “It wasn’t that important. It’s _fine_.” Daphne’s quiet for second, rolling his words over in her head.  
“Okay.”

…

“So, you’re telling _me_-“ Nick Fury gestures at himself. “-that you knew exactly where to find a teen with some sort of silver sickness that spreads like the common cold? And that these men-” He turns to Derek and Tao and raises his eyebrows. “-were just very unfortunate to be in the otherwise completely empty zoo?” Tony cocks an eyebrow and pulls up one corner of his mouth.  
“Yeah, pretty much.”

It was almost scarily easy how the kid gave up. Pretty much the second he saw Bucky’s arm, he let go of Derek, probably thinking Bucky was going through the same thing. At least, that was what Tony hoped for. It’s why he sent Bucky in. The kid never said a word, but he also knew he couldn’t win a fight from Captain America. Not with the dead weight that is hanging from his shoulder. They didn’t get a good look at it, but from what Tony could tell; his arm is heavy. It must be pulling at his skin. Aching. Steve mentioned he saw the skin in his neck turning a grey-ish blue. Like it was crawling from his arm up to his face. 

Tony’s unsure of how he feels about David. There’s an odd sadness resting on the teen. He obviously has some mental conditions and Tony is the last person to judge someone for that. David needs help, like Daphne had said. Tony agrees. But with everything he’s done, Tony’s torn about whether or not David should ever be put back into society anytime soon. His obsession with Daphne is still very much there, but after the Halloween party and tonight, there’s no way to tell what he actually wants to do with her anymore. All that Tony knows is that David wants to do something with her.

“You used to be better at lying, Stark.” Nick shakes his head and puts his hands on his hips.  
“Still a good liar.” Tony shrugs and smiles sweetly. “Maybe you just don’t trust me enough.”  
“You’re right. I don’t trust you.” Nick sighs. “Where are the kid’s parents?”  
“No clue, but I can give you his address. He used to be part of SASS.” Nick scoffs.  
“SASS. Right.” Nick takes a breath and looks down at the ground, shaking his head yet again.  
“Don’t sass me, Nick. Kid’s a great singer. Also a psychopath.” Tony brings his hands up in front of him and looks at Derek. The billionaire sucks at his teeth, opting to leave out the disturbing writing David has forced upon Daphne. His eye twitches as he wonders what else he must have forced upon her before she met Tony. Before she met Peter. “I didn’t fund him for that last bit.”

Everyone got interrogated. Just a few short questions, nothing much. It only took one stern glance from Tony for Derek and Tao to realize they shouldn’t mention Daphne and so they didn’t. Nick didn’t want the teen locked up too far from home, which meant the kid would be sent to the Raft. Tony didn’t really like the sound of that. The Raft is where they keep some of the worst super powered criminals and treating the teen like one of the bad guys probably won’t improve his mental stability. If he even has any. Tao was given a glove to cover his silver hand and asked to stick around for the night, so doctor Cho could check up on his… condition… in the morning.

…

Peter and Daphne look up when the bedroom door opens. Tony walks in with a half grimace on his face. He sniffs and opens the door a little further, revealing an unharmed Derek.  
“Dad-!” Daphne nearly drops the now empty glass of water. Peter swiftly takes it from her as she rushes to embrace her father.  
“Hey, little bird,” he mumbles into her hair. She nearly disappears completely in his large trench coat.  
“Are you okay?” Her voice is muffled by his chest.  
“He didn’t hurt me, I’m fine.” He sounds off, so she pushes back to look him in the face.  
“Are you sure?”  
“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine.” Daphne shoots a glance at Tony, who presses his lips on top of each other. He already knows what she’s going to say next. It’s what he told her after the Halloween party.  
“Fine’s a dangerous word, dad.”

…

It’s Friday. Daphne and Peter have their presentation on the Anemoi today. No matter how they pleaded, they weren’t allowed to change subjects. They settled on only having Peter mention _that one_ once and focusing on Notus, the southern wind. All they can do now is hope the teacher won’t ask questions about the others. Daphne’s in a pretty good mood, despite her nerves for the presentation. She hops down the stairs of her apartment complex and throws her bag over her shoulder while greeting one of her neighbors. She feels a little bad about it, but knowing David’s behind bars has lifted a weight off her that she didn’t even know was resting there. He can’t harm her or her family again. She opens the door to get outside and is met with a stinging, cold breeze and a bright sun, shining on her face. She takes a deep breath of fresh air, rolls her shoulders and walks down the stairs. Everything is just _fine._

“Daphne Birch,” a deep, male voice says. She turns to the road. There’s an intimidating, large, black car parked in front of her apartment building. An equally intimidating man is leaning against it. He’s bald and has an eyepatch and he’s wearing a long leather coat.  
“Do I know you?” she asks carefully. She holds onto her backpack with both hands and frowns slightly, keeping her distance. He crosses his arms and cocks his head at her.  
“I’m gonna need you to come with me.” Daphne takes a step back and slowly shakes her head.  
“I don’t think so,” she scoffs. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”  
“Nick Fury,” he states. “S.H.I.E.L.D.” Daphne’s eyes go wide for a second, but she collects herself.  
“Okay, sure.” He snorts at her reaction.  
“’Okay, sure,’” he repeats with a scoff. “I’ve got a prisoner who won’t say a word to us.” Daphne stiffens and clenches her jaw.  
“Do you?”  
“Says he’ll only talk if he gets to talk to you. Gave me your address n’everything.”  
“Tough luck,” she quips back. “Guess you won’t be getting any answers.” If there’s one thing Daphne knows, it’s that S.H.I.E.L.D. likes to stick their noses in things that don’t concern them. Tony warned her about them on Tuesday. She shouldn’t talk to them. Nick Fury cocks an eyebrow, but moves to stand up straight. He shrugs.  
“That’s where you’re wrong.” He waves once. “I always get my answers.” He walks to the driver’s side of the car and opens the door to get in. Before he actually steps in, he nods to something or someone behind her. “Put her in the back.” 

Daphne frowns and turns around, but before she can respond to the large man standing opposite her, a black cloth is pulled over her head, blocking her vision and her hands are restrained by something hard and cold. For the second time this week she’s lifted off her feet and again, she struggles. This time, however, it’s just a regular man she’s fighting. Not someone who can lift 25 tons. Her kicks have impact, she knows. Her legs are strong because of her ballet training, but the man’s probably used to kidnapping people, because his response to her struggle is mediocre at best.

She hears a car door open and she starts screaming, hoping there are people around to hear her.  
“Fucking, let go of me! Asshole!” She throws her head back in the hopes of hitting him in the face, but it’s useless. “Help! HELP! FIRE!!!” Her feet find the sides of the doors and she pushes back with all the strength she has in her legs, like a cat unwilling to be put in a bath. It must look comical, as she can hear Nick’s laugh coming from the car. Daphne finds this anything but comical. Can’t she just have have _one_ normal day?! She groans, pushing the back of her shoulders into the man’s chest. She has to admit she feels rather victorious, knowing that her legs are almost completely stretched. Her legs really are strong. The man can’t get her in the car.  
“She’s got spirit,” he scoffs. “Come on, Dimitri, get on with it.”

The man behind Daphne groans and grabs her arm right above her elbow. He squeezes. Hard. Daphne lets out a pained yelp and the feeling in her arm causes her to lose tension in her knees. He bends her knees quite harshly and literally throws her into the car. She can’t see a thing with the dark cloth covering her head and before she can even reach for the door, it’s thrown shut. A clicking sound indicates the car is locked. She’s stuck.

Daphne pants and closes her eyes, trying to stay calm. She can hear Dimitri get in the front of the car, next to Nick. She angrily kicks Nick’s seat when they drive away and he sighs once.  
“All I need is for you to have a short chat with the guy,” Nick says matter of factly. “Then you’re free to go.”  
“You’re S.H.I.E.L.D.” Daphne pushes out through gritted teeth. She kicks the seat again. “Figured you’d know the guy has a restraining order.”  
“We do.”  
“Then why the-“ Kick. “-FUCK would you put me in a room with him?!” Kick.  
“Stark’s been hiding you from me. Which means you play a bigger role in all of this.” Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and kicks again. It’s weaker this time.  
“All of what?” She mumbles.  
“Oh, I don’t know. You tell me.” She rolls her eyes, which he can’t see. She stays quiet. “A little while ago there was a whole lotta commotion at Avengers Tower. When I asked what was up, Stark said it was a surprise training.” Nick scoffs. “As if I believe that.” Daphne swallows. He’s referring to the initial kidnapping. Loki. “Stark’s aircraft landed in Orange County and I found out this morning that that was _your_ childhood home.” Daphne pulls in her legs. “And then two rainbow bridges were opened, shortly after one another.” Nick laughs once. “Ha! Training.” He doesn’t wait long to continue his monologue.

“And then Tuesday…” He says as if he’s reminiscing fond memories. “More commotion. Involving _your_ father.” The car slowly comes to a halt and Daphne wonders where they are. She's relieved Nick doesn't know about what happened at the Halloween party. “And this new prisoner is linked to you too. Used to be in the same class as you. You’re both helped by the Stark Arts and Sciences Scholarship… Not to mention the restraining order- and by the way-“ he continues quickly. “You’ve been around Avengers Tower a lot lately. And Peter Parker.” Daphne swallows and takes a breath. “What’s all that about?” She doesn’t talk and Nick chuckles. “Alright, I get it. Okay? You’re under Stark’s protection. Whatever. All you gotta do is get David to talk. He’s restrained. Nothing will happen, kay?”  
“Don’t really have a choice now, do I?” she says softly.  
“Nah.” He clears his throat. “You’ll be _fine_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M FINE, ALL WILL BE FINE, RIGHT? SURE. _F I N E ._


	71. Mirrored Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne's not at school and Peter's incredibly worried. Nick Fury and Maria Hill try to convince Daphne to talk to David.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Saturday just always ends up being the day I do _not_ have any time to write lol. So I might put in Saturday as my set day off for writing. Other than that I'll try to keep writing daily.

Peter stares at the door of the classroom, tapping his foot compulsively against the leg of his chair. It’s ten AM and history class is starting any second now. There’s just one issue: Daphne’s hasn’t shown up. MJ had mentioned Daphne wasn’t there for the first two periods either and Peter was starting to get worried. He’d sent her multiple texts and called her. It’s unlike her to skip class and she would never leave Peter to do the presentation by himself, even if she’s afraid of being confronted by things she can’t say or think about.

_What if…_ Hundreds of doom scenarios start haunting him. It’s making him short of breath. Clammy. What if something happened to her? What if the silver mist got to her again? What if… What if… He clenches his jaw and squeezes his eyes shut. _Collector’s item._ What if a sorcerer got to her? Or a bounty hunter? What if they already took her off-world? He tightens his grip on his pencil and before he realizes what he’s doing, it snaps in two. He sucks at his teeth as he lets go of the two pencil parts and looks at his hand that’s now covered in lead. The lead stains’ shine makes it look like his hand is covered in metal. _Silver._

He takes a sharp breath and stands up from his desk abruptly, making all his classmates look up at him. He blinks a few times, trying to collect his thoughts. His breathing quickens and he can faintly hear someone ask if he’s okay. He’s not. He’s _not_ okay. He doesn’t care about school right now. Or his classes. Or his presentation. He can’t control his own body anymore. His feet take him outside of the classroom, to his locker, where his Spider-Man suit is stored. His finger hits the speed-dial button on his phone. A teacher calls out to him, but he doesn’t mind them. He needs to know where Daphne is. Now.

…

“Shouldn’t you be in class?” Tony crosses his feet on top of his desk as he leans back in his chair as he talks to Peter through F.R.I.D.A.Y.  
“Can you track Daphne?” Peter’s panting on the other end of the line and Tony frowns.  
“Track… Wha- kid, what’s going on?”  
“She’s not at school and I can’t reach Derek and I can’t reach _her_ and I-“  
“Woah, woah, slow down, Pete.” Tony gets up and moves to the main computer in the middle of the lab. “We really can’t catch a break with this girl, can we?” He quips, but Peter doesn’t laugh.  
“You can track her, right?” The desperation in his voice makes it crack. Tony taps away at the computer, trying to stay calm.  
“Yeah, there’s a tracker in the new phone I gave her.” Tony licks his lips. “Where are you right now, kid?”  
“Getting changed.”  
“Kid.”  
“What?”  
“Maybe she’s just at a doctor’s appointment. Maybe she overslept.” Tony cracks his back. “You shouldn’t jump to conclusions. You need to take a second and breathe.”  
“What if that’s not the case, though? What if someone took her?”  
“Pete, no one knows about her. Nobody took-” Daphne’s location pops up on his screen and Tony interrupts himself.  
“Mr. Stark?” Peter asks carefully. Tony’s ready to strangle the first person he sees and he clenches jaw. His eye twitches and he turns around, summoning his suit with a single wave of his hand. She's at the Raft.  
“Nick Fury took her.”

…

“Can’t believe I now have two teens who won’t talk,” Fury sighs exasperated. “On the _fucking_ Raft.” Daphne sits opposite him, her lips pressed firmly on top of each other. She cocks her head and blinks a few times. There’s a woman standing next to him. Her brown hair is pulled back into a simple bun and her outfit is dark and skin tight. She’d introduced herself as Maria Hill. Her blue eyes try to pierce through Daphne, but Daphne’s not budging.  
“The sooner you talk to him, the sooner we can let you go home,” she says while placing her hands on her hips.  
“Like I said,” Daphne starts. “I don’t want to talk to him.”  
“We’re not calling Stark for you.”  
“Don’t have to.” Daphne sniffs once and smirks slightly. 

She’s not stupid. She knows Tony will find out where she is. As if Daphne didn’t do the math when he gave her a new phone. He can track Peter through his Spider-Man suit. She’d be incredibly dense if she assumed the phone Tony gave her didn’t include a tracker. He will come get her. She just has to stall for time long enough for Peter to tell Tony she’s missing and with everything that’s been happening lately, it’s safe to say that Peter will notice her absence quite quickly.

Nick and Maria exchange glances and Nick coughs.  
“Well, then.” He places his hands on his knees with a loud pat and gets up from his chair. “If you won’t go to David, we’ll just bring him here.” Daphne’s eyes go wide. No. No, she doesn’t want to see him. She doesn’t want to interact with him. She doesn’t want to have _anything_ to do with him. Her chair tips over when she furiously stands up.  
“I don’t consent to this!” She shouts across the table. Her voice isn’t as strong as she hoped it would be. Her confident façade is slipping. Fury chuckles.  
“You also didn’t consent to us bringing you here, but you got used to that situation pretty quickly too.”

He saunters to the door, but stops and sighs when he hears a quiet sob coming from Daphne’s mouth. He turns to see the small girl crying. The sight makes his face contort and he looks at Maria, who shakes her head at him. He sighs and lets his shoulders hang a little lower as he walks to Daphne. She’s hiding her mouth in her sweater-covered hand and the tears are running down her cheeks.  
“Crocodile tears won’t change this, ya know?”  
“Nick,” Maria says condescending. Nick turns to her and raises his eyebrows.  
“What? It’s the truth. I ain’t lying to her.” Daphne tries to hold back her whines, but another sob escapes her throat, making Nick look back at her. He places a hand on her shoulder, but she jolts away from him, shaking her head.  
“I really don’t-don’t want to talk to him.” Daphne’s shoulders shake as she takes quick, short breaths. A wave of embarrassment washes over her. She’s crying like a child in front of the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. A short silence falls among the three of them.

“Look, kid.” Nick takes a breath and cocks his head, trying to get her to look at him. “I don’t know what this dick did to you, but I’m sorry for you that he made you this frightened of him.” He glances at Maria, who nods at him as if to say ‘go on.’ “We’re trying to figure out what’s wrong with him so we can protect everyone on earth from another case like his ever happening again.” He frowns. “I didn’t become the main guy here by taking pity. My job is to shield the whole world. Protect it. I can’t afford to let one person’s fears get in the way of what I need to make the right decisions.” Daphne looks up to stare at Nick. The tears aren’t stopping.  
“Great job,” Maria scoffs. “Got anything else to say that will make Daphne feel safer and encourage her to help us?” Nick groans at her comment and walks away from Daphne.  
“What do you want me to say, M?”  
“Anything _but_ what you just said!”  
“I don’t make bargains with teens, Hill. I drill answers out of master criminals.” He throws his hands up and shakes his head. He opens the door and walks out. “Why don’t you handle this?” he shouts from the hallway.

Maria purses her lips at Daphne, who’s staring at the opened door. Maria sighs deeply and keeps the door opened. She walks towards the table and sits down on the chair where Nick just sat. She looks at Daphne and pushes the single glass of water on the table to the edge of Daphne’s side. Daphne doesn’t look away from the opened door. She wants out. Maria knows that all too well. Locking Daphne in won’t make anyone feel any better about this situation, so Maria opted to just leave it.  
“He’s an ass,” she says simply, snapping Daphne out of her thoughts. She’s stopped sobbing, but more so because she ran out of tears than anything else.  
“Yeah,” she replies softly. She wouldn’t call the noise coming out of her throat a voice.  
“But he is right, though.” Daphne has been hugging herself tightly for a while now, so she repositions her hands on her body. Maria’s words echo in her head.  
“You won’t get any useful information from him if I can’t talk to him,” Daphne mumbles. She’s not just referring to the panic attacks he gives her. Whatever S.H.I.E.L.D. wants them to discuss, it’ll involve N… N-! The silver mist. She bites the inside of her cheek. She can’t even think his name. But she knows it.  
“Correct.”  
“I freeze around him.”  
“So, you can’t talk.” Maria nods once, pressing her lips on top of each other. “Makes sense.”  
“Even if I wanted to help, I don’t know if I can.” Daphne shuffles to pick up the chair she tipped over and she sits back down into it, still refusing to drink the water, scared they might’ve spiked it with something.  
"It's always worth a shot."

Maria cocks her head at Daphne. They’re both trying to read each other, without much success. Maria clears her throat and leans forward on the table.  
“He’s wearing three different sleeves,” she says suddenly. “Two of them are locked electronically. One of those two locks is a simple one with a code. The other one can be compared to a suction cup. It’s stuck tight to his silver skin and won’t let go unless someone with a level eight clearance releases it. The third layer is basically a cast.” Maria and Daphne don’t break eye contact as Maria continues. “He walks freely in his cell, but when you agree to talk with him, we will restrain his legs to the legs of his chair. Tightly. Same with his torso and his normal hand. The only body part he can move is his head, but that’s it.”

Daphne stares down at her lap and Maria looks up at the mirrored glass. Something is happening on the other side as her earpiece is picking up everything that’s being said through the microphones that are positioned in the other room. Her eyebrow twitches when she hears a familiar voice, arguing with Nick.  
_”What the fuck did you say to her?!”_ Tony shouts. She’s never heard him shout in conversation before. _”I see tears on her face. What the FUCK did you do, Fury?!”_  
_”I didn’t do anything, Stark. Just told her what to do,”_ Nick replies calmly.  
_”That-"_ There's a pause. He must be pointing at Daphne. _"-doesn’t look like someone who came here voluntarily!”_  
_”David won’t speak unless it’s with her. That’s why she’s here.”_  
_”Oh?!”_ Tony exclaims. _”Well, that changes EVERYTHING now, does it?!”_ Sarcasm seeps off his words. _”Did you even ask her if she wanted this?!”_  
_”Oh, she doesn’t. But now that you’re here, I would like to know why you’ve been hiding her.”_ There’s a short silence.  
_”I don’t want you sticking your nose in her life. She’s got enough shit going on already.”_  
_”Tell me why she’s connected to all the_ shit _that’s been happening lately. Tell me why she has Asgardian silver in her backpack and why that boy’s arm is silver. Why it’s contagious. Tell me what is going on.”_ There’s a beat.  
_”Asgardian… Silver?”_  
_”A charm. Looks like a raven.”_ There’s a pensive mumble.  
_”No clue.”_ Tony clears his throat. _”But I’m not here to talk about the contents of a teen’s backpack. I’m here to get her home.”_  
_”Not before she gets David to talk.”_  
_”There’s no way in hell you’re going to convince her to talk to him.”_

Maria gets broken away from the argument in the other room by Daphne, who hasn't been able to follow the heated discussion without an earpiece. She clears her throat.  
“_Fine_,” she says through gritted teeth. “I’ll do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _F I N E._
> 
> Tony is an angry father lol.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! <3


	72. Argyria

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne confronts her fears, but she doesn't expect her fears to confront her too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been fearing writing this chapter for a while now. It's hella intense. Be prepared.

Maria immediately took Daphne to a separate room so they could prepare and restrain David properly in the interrogation room. Daphne’s heart has been beating fast ever since she agreed to talking to David and she feels like she’s a prisoner in her own head. She’s staring at the wall, her blinks only flutters. She hears a door open harshly next to her, but she doesn’t respond.  
“Daph?” Her eyebrows shoot up as she’s brought back to reality by Tony’s voice.  
“Mr. Stark?”  
“I’m here,” he says. Peter rushes in behind him, the look on his face could be described as feral.  
“Peter,” she says breathlessly. He embraces her and she hides her face in his chest, pressing her cheek against the Spider-Man logo. Tony sucks at his teeth, keeping his distance. He doesn’t bother asking her if she’s okay. He knows she’s not. It’s a redundant question. 

“You don’t have to do this.” Daphne looks up at Tony and stares at him with a blank look on her face.  
“I don’t?”  
“You say the word and I’m flying you out of here.” Her mouth opens slightly, but she closes it again. Her brows curl up into a small frown. Peter tightens his grip on her slightly. Possessively.  
“Isn’t that illegal?” She asks, not letting go of Peter.  
“Both the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. work for the same all-encompassing governmental agency. You’re under my care. Fury has no say. As much as he hates it; we’re equal in power. He’s just more of a spy guy and I’m- Well…” Tony gestures at himself.  
“Tony Stark,” Daphne scoffs slightly, easing Tony’s nerves on her well-being a little bit. He points at her.  
“Exactly.” He crosses his arms and cocks his head. “So, kid, what’s it gonna be?”

Daphne purses her lips. Her eyes glance around the room for a second, but it’s no use checking for bugs. Of course, they’re being listened to. They’re on the Raft, of all places.  
“He was there,” she mumbles, referencing the night at the Halloween party. She looks down. “Maybe he can break the spell.” It’s barely a whisper, but Tony and Peter both heard it. Tony takes a short breath and nods once as he turns to towards the door.  
“Are you _really_ sure about this?” Peter asks, squeezing her arms to make Daphne look up at him.  
“No,” she says. “But we can try.”

…

Tony and Peter promised they’d stay as close as they possibly could, which meant they’d be behind the mirrored glass. Peter refused to let go of her until Tony practically had to drag him away from her. Tony told her he’d get her out of the interrogation room the second she’d feel unsafe or anxious. Daphne has no idea how she could possibly show him how grateful she is for what he does for her. What he’s been doing for her ever since they met. She’s just one girl in a whole world of people to protect and the way he’s been prioritizing her over his other work confuses her. Why does he care so much? She’s not _that_ special.

…

The door in front of her opens, but she’s frozen in place. She stares at David, who’s sitting in the interrogation room with his back towards her. He’s very obviously restrained. Probably for her comfort. There may no longer be a wall or door keeping her from entering the room, but the threshold to actually take the step into it, is large. Gigantic. Humongous. She can see his neck and swallows. It’s a weird shade of blue-gray. Is this a side effect of the curse that has been put on him? She takes a shaky breath, closes her eyes and lifts her foot. Without a single word from Maria behind her, the door is shut again and she’s alone with him. With _David_.

Daphne pushes herself against the wall behind him while holding onto her torso. She shuffles carefully to the corner, trying to stay as far away from him as possible. She jolts slightly when he laughs softly. She’d almost forgotten how deep and warm his voice is. How it sounds like it’s coated with honey when he’s calm. It’s the voice she thought she fell in love with when he recited his beautiful poems or serenaded her with the sweetest love songs. But she now knows whatever she had with him wasn’t love. No one loves her the way Peter loves her and she doesn’t love anyone the way she loves Peter. Lately, all she heard in David’s voice was anger and frustration. Like the honey had dried out and was shattered by a brute force. But the warm honey is back. And though once his voice entranced her, now it made her cower in fear.

“Hey, Daph,” he says simply. She squeezes her eyes shut. How does he know she’s here? He hasn’t even seen her yet. How- “I recognize your breathing everywhere.” Daphne gasps for air and pushes herself further against the wall. She can’t lose it now. She only just got in here. “Are you scared?” Daphne scoffs loudly at his remark.  
“What do you think?” David relaxes at the sound of her voice and even dares to let out a soft content hum. At least, that’s what Daphne decides it is. Others might interpret it differently.  
“I missed you,” he sighs.

“Where are your parents?” Daphne decides to immediately jump to the questions Fury wanted her to ask him. David doesn’t reply. He simply cocks his head. The blue skin in his neck wrinkling slightly. “Where are your parents?” She repeats. Louder now. She closes her eyes, letting the stuffy air of the room fill her lungs in the hopes of gaining the confidence to call him out.  
“I can’t see you.”  
“No, shit.” She sniffs once. “You said you’d talk if you got to talk to me. I’m here now. Talking to you and you’re talking to me. Answer the fucking question.” She won’t give him the satisfaction of saying his name. Anything to keep him from moaning again.

“No need to get angry with me, goddess.” She shivers at the nickname.  
“Don’t.”  
“Don’t what?”  
“Don’t call me that.” There’s a short pause, giving Daphne the chance to compose herself.  
“I want to see your face, my love.” Daphne grips her chest and shakes.  
“No.” She bites her cheek. “Please, just answer the question.”  
“Are you begging already?” He chuckles. Daphne’s breath starts to quicken and her sight is getting blurred on the edges. She can’t do this. She can’t. She has to get out of there.

She lets go of the wall and stumbles to the table until she stands right next to him, nearly touching him. He looks up at her, surprised. She’s just about as surprised as he is, to be honest. What the hell is she doing? Her eyes lock onto his. His appearance is enough to make her sick to the stomach. Not just because of who he is, but what he looks like too. He looks like he’s dead, but not yet buried. His blue-gray skin hangs loose around his skull. She doesn’t give him the chance to respond to finally seeing her. She slams the table and uses it to keep her weight up, not trusting her knees right now.  
“Talk.” A wide grin spreads across his face. His gums are the same sickening color as his skin.  
“Argyria,” he says.  
“What?”  
“Argyria.” He cocks his head, gesturing at his arm. “Silver poisoning.”  
“You’re dying?” There was no emotion attached to her words.  
“I’m not. The disease is purely cosmetic.”  
“Good for you,” she hisses. “Where are your parents?” He blinks a few times at her.  
“Only you would know where they are, love.” Daphne takes a step back and frowns.  
“…Me?” The grin returns on his face and he wiggles his eyebrows.  
“You.” Her eyes falter down as she thinks. Why would only she know? What does this mean?

“Why don’t you just say it?” She asks, frustrated.  
“Now, that wouldn’t be fun.” Daphne closes her eyes and rubs her temples. “If you don’t mind me asking,” he says suddenly. “I want to know what the silver mist did to you.” Daphne stops breathing for a second.  
“That’s not a question,” she quips back.  
“Would you, so kindly, my dear, please tell me-“  
“Fuck off, David.”  
“Ahh,” he sighs, closing his eyes, leaning his head backwards, enjoying the moment. “Boy, do I love it when you say my name, _Daphne_.” The way he emphasizes her name makes her stomach flip. Daphne’s chest tightens again. He looks back up at her, his eyes wide and he smiles. It gives her the creeps. Suddenly, his eyes light up for a split second. His irises silver, as his gaze pierces right through her. “_Zephyr,_” he growls.

There’s a beat in which all Daphne’s muscles tense. It seems like there is no air left in the room. Memories from the silver mist start flooding back to her. The way he grabbed her ankle. Showed her, her past with Loki. How she should fear sorcerers. How she can only trust the one who made her. His name. _Nevuth_. She stumbles backwards until she hits the wall and slides down until she’s sitting with her legs pulled in. If she still had tears left to cry, they would’ve come out now, but all she has left is dry sobs as she rocks herself back and forth. Her hands yank at her hair, trying to pull out the haunting thoughts in her brain, and she hides her face behind her knees. Her scar pulls at her skin. It stings.  
“Please, stop- make it stop,” she whimpers.  
“You can’t deny what you are, my love.”  
“THEN _WHAT_ AM I?!” She shouts at him, gasping for air.

She faintly hears a door open and a familiar voice inches closer to her. Two warm hands hold her shoulders, but she can’t open her eyes. Peter’s talking. She knows it’s Peter. But she can’t hear him. What is he saying to her? _Zephyr-Zephyr-Zephyr._ The word haunts her mind, as do the memories. She finds herself back on the field, during the storm. Thunder rumbles loudly in her ears. Someone’s calling her name. Peter? She tries to call out, but there’s a flash and she experiences the lightning striking through her scar once again. She throws her head back, hitting the metal wall with a loud bang and everything goes dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My god, this was a difficult chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! <3


	73. Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne meets a compelling, golden sorceress in her dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm already working on the next chapter cause I like to SUFFER. I don't even know how I'm keeping up with these daily posts.

“He refuses to leave her side,” Tony groans as he drops himself onto the couch next to Pepper in their private living space. “Tried everything.” Peter had fallen asleep with his head and arms resting on Daphne’s bed. She’s still very much unconscious, she hit her head hard earlier that day. Tony didn’t listen to Nick or any of the paramedics treating her. He was absolutely fed up with S.H.I.E.L.D. Still is. He took her back to the tower and had his own doctors treat her. And he couldn't care less about what S.H.I.E.L.D. was going to do to David. Tony prioritized Daphne. And Peter, his anxious protege, who had a severe panic attack when Daphne's head started bleeding after she fell unconscious because of the blow.

Tony usually forgets how strong Peter actually is. During check-ups, Peter didn’t take his eyes off of her and no matter how hard they pulled at his arm; he didn’t budge. He didn’t even flinch. He didn’t want to leave her alone. Not again. Ever.  
“Just leave him be, Tony.” Pepper pulls Tony’s back against her chest and pushes her hand through his hair. He hums and closes his eyes.  
“I hate seeing him like this,” he mumbles.  
“We all do.” It’s quiet for a second as Pepper plays with his hair. “What even happened out there?”  
“David knows what she is,” Tony sighs.  
“The… Sapphire stuff?”  
“Zephyr.”  
“Right.” Pepper nods once.  
“He triggered something in her.”

Goosebumps raise on his arms and he shudders when he thinks back to how Daphne’s eyes had rolled back in her sockets. How she rocked and shook and mumbled and muttered incomprehensible things. The only thing she was able to say clearly was Peter’s name.  
“Looked like she was having a seizure.” He bites his cheek. “I think her brain just… Shut down.”  
“Why would it?”  
“I think it’s that spell the silver mist put on her. It’s supposed to block everything to do with specific memories.” Tony frowns as he rambles. “Peter mentioned she got a panic attack when she read the about Zephyrus on a Greek mythology website.” He focuses on Pepper’s fingers, gently massaging his scalp. “I think being confronted with the memory the way she was, is just too much for a human brain to handle. Strange told me it’s a strong and difficult spell. Maybe it wasn’t made for humans.”

They sit on the couch in silence for a bit. Pepper presses a kiss on the crown of Tony’s head.  
“But she’s going to be okay?”  
“Won’t know for sure until she wakes up, but all her vitals are good. She’ll probably suffer the concussion she gave herself.”  
“As long as it’s only a concussion, she’ll be fine.” Pepper embraces Tony and he turns slightly, relaxing under her touch. “She’s a tough bird.”  
“You better be right,” he mutters before letting his jaw hang slacked. His breathing becomes steady and slow and Pepper smiles at him endearingly. She’s going to have to live with a sore back tomorrow, but so is Tony, so she eases back into the couch and closes her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

…

Daphne feels like she’s floating. Carried by clouds and caressed by a warm, golden sun. Its light comforts her. Reminds her to forget the troubles she’s going through… What were those troubles again? A lazy smile spreads across her face. They didn’t matter right now. Her eyes flutter open when her feet land on something solid. Initially, a wave of shock courses through her. Golden mist surrounds her. A small voice inside her tells her she should be afraid, but the feeling is quickly washed away when the gold dust dances in front of her eyes. It’s beautiful.

“Daphne?” It echoes through the mist. She turns to where the voice came from. _His_ voice. There’s no one there. “Please, wake up…”  
“Peter?” She asks quietly. Her voice echoes into nothingness. She looks around to see where he is, but he’s not there. There’s just mist. And gold. It feels as if a hand caresses her shoulder, but when she looks at it, all she sees is the gold dust, covering her skin. She tries to blink away the mist around her eyes, but with every push, it shines twice as bright, entrancing her even further. Her eyelids feel heavy under the weight of the dancing metal surrounding her. She turns again. “Peter, where are you?” 

There’s a soft hum tickling at her right ear, somehow it immediately has her relax all her muscles. She only barely keeps her weight up, but she’s helped to stand upright by a force unseen. She closes her eyes and angles her head, leaning into the hum and sighing contently. It’s as if the gold has entered her mind. Clouding it with warm fuzzy feelings. A feminine voice whispers her name and she almost immediately forgets about Peter… Peter…? Who was he again? The weightless feeling returns and she opens her eyes when the female voice calls her again.  
“_Give yourself to me, Zephyr_,” she purrs. Daphne can’t help but nod slowly at the compelling voice. Yes. She breathes slowly, inhaling the gold. _Yes._ The mist and the voice made her feel so nice. If she gives herself, she will always feel like this. Warm and safe. Daphne can’t imagine not giving in.

The voice called her _Zephyr._ The word used to sound so wrong, but it feels so right now. She doesn’t remember why she didn’t like it before.

A pair of golden eyes appear before her. They’re shining. Stunning. They pull at Daphne, beckoning her to come closer and so she does. One small step at a time. The mist still dances around her, helping her carry herself, pushing her towards the eyes. Daphne smiles again. It’s so nice and warm and good and she forgot why she’s here and she forgot who she is and she forgot everything the gold wanted her to forget. All she cares about is the eyes and the gold and how safe and content it makes her feel. She wants to stay here forever. Nothing else matters.

The mist starts collecting and building up around the eyes, half forming a face and shoulders. Daphne lifts her arm to reach for the figure appearing in front of her. Her heavy-lidded eyes almost shutting, the content drowsiness keeping her spelled, barely awake, simply obeying what the mist wants from her. She can’t look away from the eyes that are glowing at her. The gold solidifies even more, turning into the most beautiful woman Daphne has ever seen. Something clicks in her. She really does want to give herself to the goddess in front of her. Completely and unconditionally.

Daphne’s hand stretches out further until she’s only a few inches away from the solid golden skin in front of her. _Touch._ She’s unsure if it’s her own thought or a thought that was put in her head by the divine woman of gold. But none of it matters anymore. All that matters is _her_. Daphne’s fingers twitch slightly as the gap between her hand and the collar bone of the golden enchantress grows smaller and smaller. An encouraging, yet sly grin creeps on the seductress’ face and Daphne stares at her, a blank look on her face, half-smiling along. She whispers breathlessly as her fingers nearly graze the gold.  
“_Touch._”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀


	74. Ravir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne has a conversation with Ravir in her dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A rather long chapter today! At least... It's longer than I'm used to writing, lool. I hope you enjoy!

Daphne jolts as the golden woman abruptly grabs Daphne’s hand, stopping Daphne from touching her. There’s a sudden breath of fresh air as Daphne’s shaken out of her trance. The mist clears out of her head. She gasps loudly, eyes blown wide as her mind returns to her completely. The weight of the memory prison spell lifting off her shoulders. She’s free.

Daphne stares at the golden lady in front of her in fear, but immediately averts her gaze upon realizing the woman is naked. She’s covered in jewelry and it only barely covers her private parts. What just happened? What did she just do to her?! She looks down at herself and frowns when she sees she’s wearing a white dress with an open back. Similar to the one she wore at the Halloween party.  
“I had hoped you would fight me more than you did,” the golden woman says, letting go of Daphne just as harshly as she had grabbed on.  
“What?” Daphne rubs on the wrist the lady just held and stares at her in disbelief.  
“You gave in. Immediately.” The lady shakes her head and turns around. Gold dust falls down her shoulders and Daphne realizes just what she is. She’s like Nuveth. But gold. She gasps quietly at her own naivety. She’d nearly touched her. She would’ve turned to gold!

“How was I supposed to know what you were doing to me?” She tries to defend herself. The golden sorceress scoffs.  
“It is not a matter of knowing, Zephyr.” Daphne shudders at the mention of the word. “These kind of spells are supposed to catch you off guard.” The gold moves away from Daphne, who stays frozen in place. “This is about recognizing what is being done to you. That what is happening is not reality.”  
“Is this real?” Daphne asks quietly as she looks around the white space around her.  
“What do you think, child?” The gold cocks an eyebrow at her.  
“I’m not sure…”  
“I am in your head.” The gold nods and twirls once, her metallic dust covering the floor below her. She suddenly bursts forward towards Daphne, who yelps, but freezes. She halts right before Daphne, gently touching Daphne’s nose with her own before pulling back again with a mischievous smile on her face. “But the rule still applies.”  
“I figured,” Daphne mumbles. She bites her cheek and studies the gold woman. “Do you know Nuveth?” She asks quietly. The gold laughs once.  
“Nuveth is my brother, Zephyr.” Daphne’s mouth opens slightly in surprise.  
“He mentioned you when he…”  
“Visited you?” The gold laughs softly, but her posture weakens. “We are twins,” she says simply. “Both cursed to the same fate.”  
“The metal?” Daphne’s faint reaction makes the gold chuckle.  
“We learned to use it to our advantage.”

Daphne purses her lips, still unsure to what extent she should trust the gold.  
“What is your name?”  
“I go by Ravir.” Daphne blinks a few times as her mind connects the puzzle pieces.  
“The sorceress who told Thor to practice his lightning strikes on earth?” This time the sorceress laughs out loud.  
“I did not tell him that. All I did was inform him he is capable of far more than he thinks. I did not tell him to go to Midgard, and striking you with his powers was not something I intended him to do.”  
“So, you know what happened?”  
“The one who made you allowed me to enter his mind to explain a vision to him. I may or may not have snooped around his memories a little bit.”  
“The one who…” Daphne’s voice dies to silence. _Loki._ There’s a beat as Daphne gathers the courage to speak. “What am I?” Ravir cocks her head.

“Did my brother not tell you?”  
“He told me the name.”  
“I told him to tell you what you are.”  
“He didn’t.” Daphne scoffs. What a stupid conversation. Couldn’t Ravir just give her the answers she needs?

“Oh, Zephyr,” Ravir sighs, gold dust floating in the air as she shakes her head. She moves back to Daphne again, who presses her lips on top of each other. “He told me he did what I asked. I have not seen him much since then.” Daphne closes her eyes when Ravir caresses Daphne’s cheek with her golden hand. Daphne doesn’t move, afraid she might lose her balance and initiate physical contact with Ravir. “He’s enjoying his freedom, you see?”  
“Freedom?” Daphne barely moves the muscles in her face. She doesn’t dare with the gold still touching her.  
“He was imprisoned for a long time. Freed only recently. Going to you was the first thing he did after 1200 years. Upon my request, of course.”  
“He mentioned you felt guilty.”  
“I feel guilty no more. I am here now to speak with you myself.” A gold finger traces Daphne’s cheekbones and curls around her hair, twirling it.  
“Then speak.”  
“Hm?”  
“Explain to me what a Zephyr is.” She pauses before she stutters. “A-and tell me if the spell he put on me is really gone.”

“The spell is gone,” Ravir ghosts around Daphne, to her back. She holds onto Daphne’s hair as she moves, letting the strands glide through her palm. “My brother should have known better. Your young Midgardian mind is not suited to carry a spell of that weight.” Ravir’s hands move to Daphne’s crown and start pulling her hair back as she combs through it with her fingers. Daphne remains still.  
“I noticed,” she mumbles, recalling the headaches and anxieties that came with it. “And Zephyrs?”

Ravir’s hands move skillfully, starting to braid Daphne’s long ash blonde hair.  
“Zephyrs carry very strong magic inside them, but they cannot use it themselves.” Ravir frowns slightly, lost in her thoughts and focusing on the braiding process. “Sorcerers can forcefully take this magic from them, to fuel their own power. Taking from a Zephyr can result in the Zephyr dying.” Daphne flinches slightly, but composes herself. She can’t risk touching Ravir. “The Zephyr can also give their power to a sorcerer willingly, which does not hurt. It just drains. The energy can be restored by resting.” She caresses Daphne’s temple, grabbing a stray strand of hair. It tickles. Daphne just listens with her eyes closed.

“Some sorcerers collect Zephyrs. Strip them of their free will, or spell them to fall in love with them so the Zephyr will give them everything they want.” Daphne frowns, not yet truly realizing the gravity of what this means for her.  
“Is that why you put me under that trance? To use me?”  
“Zephyrs do not enhance my magic. You have nothing to fear from me. I spelled you to prepare you.” She tugs a little harder at one strand, causing Daphne to move her head slightly. She didn’t recall relaxing her neck. “Exposing you to this kind of magic on a regular basis can go one of two ways. In any case, you will start recognizing the magic as it befalls you.”

Ravir’s hands leave her head as the braid continues. Daphne feels herself relax more under Ravir’s attention. The little tugs at her hair. The gentle massaging of her scalp... “However, you then need to hope you either become resistant or are able to fight it.”  
“Or…?” Daphne asks quietly and carefully.  
“Or you will become more susceptible to it. Fall even easier every time it happens, until magic is no longer needed and you will just follow out of your own accord. Not really having a mind of your own anymore.” Ravir’s voice is soft and sweet and Daphne replies with a mumble.  
“I don’t want that.”  
“You are right. You shouldn’t want that.” Ravir finishes the braid and starts twisting it into a bun on Daphne’s head.  
“You’re doing it again,” Daphne mutters. Her eyebrow twitches. She feels sluggish. Not in control of her body.  
“Oh? Am I?” Daphne hears Ravir smile, but her eyes are too heavy to open them. She suddenly feels Ravir’s breath on her ear. She whispers: “And what are you going to do about it?”  
“Mmm…” Daphne sighs as her head nearly drops forward, but she catches herself. “…don’t know…”  
“I could tell you… If you want.” Ravir moves from one ear to the other, tickling all Daphne’s senses but her sight.

“I… I want…”  
“Tell me what you want, Zephyr.” Daphne squeezes her eyes shut and frowns. She doesn’t want this. She doesn’t. In a split second of clarity, it hits her. Ravir is asking her what she wants. Daphne’s initial reaction would be to reply, not with what she wants, but what Ravir wants her to want and that’s exactly what she shouldn’t say. She needs to say what she wants. For real. What keeps her grounded? What keeps her mind from going foggy? What keeps her from falling further? _Who._  
“Peter-“ she whispers breathlessly. “I want Peter.”  
“That boy?” Ravir scoffs behind her, untwisting the braided bun and re-twisting it the other way, like an endless spiral. “I can give you so much more than he can.”  
“I don’t want more. I want h-him.” Daphne takes a breath. “Peter B… Benjamin Parker.”  
“Why not forget about him? He’s just a silly teenager. I’m an immortal enchantress. Am I not the most beautiful creature you have ever seen?”  
“I don’t want you. I want Pe-Peter.”  
“You should just give up, _Daphne_. You are far from winning this battle.” The mention of her name has Daphne twitching slightly, but she keeps fighting.  
“M’not,” Daphne pushes out. “I… I want to dance the pas de deux with him. I want to sit next to him in class. I want to eat pizza with him and give him all the veggies I don’t like. He’s-“ Daphne scoffs into a chuckle. “He’s a living trash can. Eats everything.” Daphne feels fresh air on her face, as if she’s waking up in a tent on a cold day. “I want to watch cheesy movies with him. Do my homework with him. Make silly jokes and hold his hand.” Daphne’s eyes shoot open when she says: “Kiss him.”

She gasps for air as Ravir lets go of her hair. It falls on Daphne’s shoulders, untangling slightly. She steps forward, collecting herself as she pants, regaining control over her body. Ravir scoffs once.  
“Kiss him,” Ravir repeats. The tone in her voice belittling. Daphne flinches, embarrassed. “You really are only a child.” Ravir moves so that she’s in front of Daphne, her golden dust falling everywhere. “I suggest you keep practicing with the one who made you.”  
“I’m not sure if I want to go through that again.” Daphne squints her eyes shut. She’s still slightly bent forward in order to gain enough oxygen in her lungs.  
“It could make you stronger.” Daphne finally looks back up at Ravir with a cocked eyebrow.  
“Or it could make me more- what did you call it? Susceptible? I’d rather just… Not find out which one of the two I’ll end up gravitating towards.” She waves Ravir away with one hand and stretches her back. Ravir nods, her long dreadlocks dancing around her.  
“I understand.”

Ravir waves her hand and the white surrounding them ripples as if a single drop fell into a glass of water. A room appears around them. A familiar one. It’s the Avengers Tower guest room Daphne spent the night in after the Halloween incident. Daphne frowns when she sees herself in third person. Her other self is lying in bed, her head bandaged. She’s asleep. Her attention immediately drifts to Peter. He’s sitting on the floor next to the bed. His arms and head rest on the mattress and his hands hold onto hers. The muscles in his face are relaxed, but his sleep seems rather restless.

“I do agree that he is very sweet,” Ravir says with a courteous nod.  
“Please, don’t snoop around in my head.” Daphne bites the inside of her cheek, not taking her eyes off Peter.  
“I do not need to snoop around to know what he means to you.” Daphne presses her lips on top of each other. Her eyebrows curl up into a frown.  
“All I do is worry him.”  
“For good reason,” Ravir adds. Daphne turns her head to look at the sorceress. “He knows.” It takes a second for Daphne to realize what Ravir means with that.  
“He… knows?”  
“As do the Sorcerer Supreme and the-“ Ravir pauses to chuckle. “-other metal man.”  
“Iron Man?”  
“Correct.” Daphne’s shoulders droop.

If they all know what she is, why didn’t they tell her? Ravir places a hand on Daphne’s arm and squeezes it slightly. Daphne doesn’t respond, trying to find any reason as to why they would keep this from her. She bites her cheek. This explains Tony’s protective behavior. She suspects he doesn’t even like her for real. He just does all this for Peter.  
“The sorcerer felt he could draw from you when he first met you,” Ravir says simply. The look on her face makes it seem like she’s recalling it as if she was there. Doctor Strange did act rather odd when he checked if Loki had put any spells on her. He stared at her like she was an object he needed to assess and he had left the room without saying anything of value to her. She thought he was an ass. Maybe there was more to it.

“And Tony?”  
“The sorcerer felt tempted when he was with you in that room. He immediately told Tony, so there would be one person out there who would know. Someone who would keep him grounded and tell him off should he ever want to use you.” Ravir lets go of Daphne and pulls at her own jewelry. “They kept it a secret for your sake, hoping you would never have to find out.”  
“A lot of shit happened after that,” Daphne says with a frown. “There were enough opportunities for them to tell me.”  
“And they still decided not to.” Daphne looks back at Peter, who stirs. He must be dreaming.  
“The boy only found out recently. He learned about what you are himself.”  
“How?”  
“The westerly wind.” Ravir saunters towards Peter and Daphne keeps a close eye on her. Wary of what she might do with him.  
“Zephyrus,” she mumbles.  
“Your kind was named after him; Zephyrus.” Daphne scoffs at that and can almost hear Peter say the word ‘fructifying’ again. _To make something more fruitful or productive._

“How did he find out?”  
“He stole books from the Sorcerer Supreme.” Ravir’s hand ghosts over the mattress around Peter’s arms. “There is not much literature on your kind, as even most sorcerers do not know about Zephyrs. One Encyclopedia entry was enough, though.”  
“But he didn’t tell me…” Daphne stares at Peter’s relaxed features.  
“He was going to.” Ravir pauses her movement to look back up at Daphne. “But then the other boy- the reason why you are in this state- attacked your father.”

_“I- eh… Could you maybe stop by Avengers Tower? I’m with Mr. Stark right now and we… I want to discuss something with you.” He sounds worried, which concerns Daphne. Something is definitely up. She stops walking for a second as Avengers Tower is the opposite way and she looks down at her feet._  
_“Yeah- yeah, Pete, of course. I’m not far, I’ll be there in five. Are you okay?”_  
_“Yeah, I just… It’s important.” Daphne’s mouth goes dry. What does he want to talk about? Why does he sound so out of it?_

He wanted to tell her. He found out and he immediately wanted to tell her. And then so much happened. It made sense for him to not want to bring it up at that point. She’s sure he would discuss it with her another time. When they would both be ready for it.  
“Fucking hell,” Daphne mutters. She was still angry with Tony though. She is going to have a word with him when she wakes up. Daphne didn’t register that Ravir reached out to Peter’s hair, though when Ravir touches it, Peter jolts awake and looks around feverishly. She immediately lets go of him and takes a step back. There is obvious surprise on her face. She did not expect him to wake. His gaze rests in the general direction where Ravir stands, but it’s clear he can’t see her.  
“He’s just a human boy,” she mumbles. “Yet he senses me?”  
“He’s... Enhanced.” Daphne doesn't know how else to say it.  
“I am aware of that. Though, I did not expect this.”  
“He’s very sensitive.”  
“So, it appears…” Ravir cocks her head, intrigued. “He’s certainly gifted.” Daphne purses her lips and chuckles to herself.  
“25 tons.”  
“What did you say?”  
“Nothing.”

They both look at Peter, who finally looks away from Ravir and back to the Daphne on the bed. The real Daphne, not ‘mind’ Daphne. His expression is soft, yet worried. Daphne takes a step towards him and Ravir makes her way back to the ballerina.  
“I suppose it is about time I wake you.”  
“What? No- I have so many more questions!”  
“Not all questions should be answered by me, Zephyr.” Ravir caresses her arm with her other hand, wiping excess gold dust. "I do advise against telling anyone else about what you are." She brings her hand with the extra dust to her mouth and blows it at the floor beneath Daphne.  
“Is it reversible?” Daphne asks quickly, hoping Ravir could turn Tao’s silver hand back to normal, or maybe at least tell her how she can help him. Ravir doesn’t answer her question, though, which only frustrates Daphne more.  
“It was lovely finally meeting you, Zephyr. _Daphne._” She holds her hand in front of Daphne’s face, pressing her thumb and middle finger together.  
“No, wait- please!” Ravir snaps her fingers, gold dust flying off it like electricity sparks. Daphne feels the floor under her feet disappear and she falls into a dark hole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Would love to hear your thoughts!
> 
> Spoiler for the next chapter: finally, we're gonna have some FLUFF AGAIN!


	75. Broken Spell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne finally wakes up and she has a chat with Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff(y) stuff but also plot. ^_^

Peter doesn’t know what woke him up, but there is something in the room with them. Someone. The hairs on his body stand upright and his eyes dart around the room. He instinctively squeezes Daphne’s hand a little tighter as he squints. His gaze rests where he feels the presence the strongest, but there’s nothing there. When nothing seems to happen for a little while, he glances at Daphne. Her breathing is steady. She’s still sleeping peacefully. He looks back again at the presence and sucks at his teeth. What was that? Is there really someone else with them in the room and if so, what do they want? Are they here for Daphne?

Peter quickly looks back at Daphne when he suddenly feels her squeezing his hand and he nearly jumps. Her eyes are half-opened and she’s looking at him. He sends her a half-smile, grateful that she’s finally up.  
“Hey…” Her voice is strained and soft from not using it for a while.  
“Hey,” he mumbles back as he lifts her hand to his lips to kiss the back of it. He then reaches for the bottle of water on the night stand. He helps her to sit slightly upright so she can take a few sips, before resting her back into the soft pillow agin. “How are you feeling?”  
“Absolutely fucked,” she breathes. She closes her eyes for a second and frowns. “Head’s gonna explode.”  
“I’m gonna go get doctor Cho.” Peter moves to get up, but Daphne doesn’t let go of him, even though her grip is weak. He looks at her apologetically. “Someone needs to check on you, Dove, please.”  
“Don’t leave me alone,” she whispers and closes her eyes again. “Please, Pete…” Peter melts immediately, letting himself fall back on his knees next to the bed. He once again brings her hand close to his face, but this time he rests her hand against his forehead.  
“I won’t.” He glances back at where the presence was, but it seems to have disappeared completely. He frowns at it, before his attention gets pulled back to the frail girl in the bed.

“Come here,” she mutters. Her free hand snakes over her body towards the hand Peter’s holding. It seems to take her a lot of effort, so Peter immediately stops her by holding onto that hand as well.  
“I’m already here, Dove.”  
“No, here-here,” she says weakly as she starts pulling at his hands. Peter realizes what she means and shuffles awkwardly on his knees. He hasn’t left her side since she had the seizure, so he’s still wearing his Spider-Man suit.  
“Are you sure?” Peter’s thumb rubs slow circles on her hands and she tugs once.  
“Need you,” is all she says. He probably shouldn’t, but he gives in again, just like he did a few weeks ago when they were studying for her to join Midtown.

He lifts the covers and slips in easily. Her body feels rather cold against his. She lifts her shoulder to turn towards him, but he gently pushes her back down.  
“Don’t move, you gotta rest your head.” He scoots a little closer to her on his side until his body is flush against hers. He tangles their legs together and he rests his warm hand, which she immediately takes in her own, on her stomach. She plays with his fingers for a little bit, before she intertwines hers with his. He presses a peck on her cheek and she smiles slightly.  
“Love you.”  
“Love you too.”

It’s quiet for a little bit as they both get accustomed to their new position. Daphne has her eyes closed, but she’s awake.  
“What time is it?” she asks Peter after a little while.  
“It is 11:34 PM,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. says. The shrill computer voice has Daphne flinch slightly. “I have informed Tony that you woke up, Daph.” Peter chuckles amused.  
“You told her to call you Daph?”  
“Daphne’s too formal.” Daphne defends herself. “She sounds like a robot when she calls me that.”  
“Maybe cause she _is_ a robot.” Peter suppresses a laugh.  
“One day they’re gonna take over the world and then they won’t kill me cause I’m nice.” Daphne grins at the ceiling, eyes still closed.  
“Hey, I’m nice to Karen!” Peter quietly exclaims, pretending to be offended.  
“Didn’t say you weren’t.” She sticks out her tongue and Peter has to refrain from pinching her side. He shouldn’t put too much pressure on her head and tickling her probably isn’t a good idea right now.  
“Tony’s on his way,” the AI informs. Peter bites his lip. He knows Tony will most likely want him out of the bed, so he presses himself even tighter to Daphne, cherishing the moment before it ends. His nose grazes her cheek and it takes all his willpower not to press a thousand more kisses on her. He still can’t believe how much he loves her.

Peter’s thoughts wander to what happened earlier that day and his face contorts. His stomach turns into a pit of guilt.  
“I’m sorry,” he says softly.  
“What for?”  
“I really messed it up this morning.”  
“Wha- with… With David?”  
“I should’ve stopped him sooner.” He bites his cheek and frowns and Daphne sighs deeply.  
“I never should’ve gone in there to begin with.”  
“You did what you felt was right.”  
“I didn’t think it was right. I thought I had no choice.” She finally opens her eyes again. “I hoped he’d fix me.” There’s a lump in her throat. Even just thinking about David has her tensing up all her muscles. Peter moves his head slightly away from hers.  
“Fix you?” he asks confused. “The spell?”  
“Yeah.”  
“So… It’s still there?” Peter asks worried. It would mean he couldn’t bring up what she is to her. He’d wouldn’t risk giving her another seizure. Daphne’s quiet for a second. It seems like she’s trying to figure out if the spell is still active.

“Nuveth,” she says suddenly. Causing a surprised reaction from both Peter and herself. “Nuveth…” she repeats, lost in thought.  
“N… What now?”  
“That’s what the silver mist is called.”  
“Wait, so David managed to get rid of the spell?”  
“No.” Daphne seems to ponder about what to say next. There’s something she’s not telling him.  
“Then what did?”  
“His sister.” She purses her lips. “She was here…” Peter’s eyes grow wide. _The presence he felt. Was that…_  
“Is she misty too?" Daphne half-laughs at his question.  
"She is. But she's gold." Daphne frowns a little, as the headache grows a slightly worse for a bit.  
"I didn’t see any gold mist.”  
“She wasn’t here physically.” Peter lets her words float through his head. Suddenly, there was a lot to take in. A lot to process. A _lot_ to ask.

“Do you want to talk about what happened at the Halloween party?”  
“I guess… Maybe not now. Talking takes a… eh… surprising amount of effort.”  
“Are yes/no questions okay?” Daphne nods slightly, but Peter blanks. He had an entire list of questions he wanted to ask, but he has no idea where to start.  
“Shoot,” she urges him gently. He decides to go with the question that bothered him the most.  
“Did he hurt you?”  
“No.”  
“No,” he repeats quietly as a great weight falls off his shoulders. He didn’t hurt her.  
“I don’t think he was bad,” she mumbles. “Don’t think his sister is bad either. Just… Weird.” Peter doesn’t reply, confused by her words. “Like Loki.”  
“Wait, what do you mean ‘like Loki’?”  
“Sorcerers are a little strange.” Daphne half snorts as she realizes her comment is indirectly linked to the Sorcerer Supreme as well. But her head doesn’t really like the movement, so her smile falters quickly. “Live by their own rules and morals."  
“You’ve met more of them than I have, but I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing.”  
“Ah, well… They didn’t hurt me. Sort of.”  
“Sort of?” Peter’s muscles tense.

“The gold tried to warn me about mind control spells by putting one on me.”  
“The gold… You mean Nevuth’s sister?” Daphne nods slightly and Peter suddenly realizes what she said. “Is she still controlling you? Is she still in your head?”  
“Nah.”  
“Are you, absolutely, one hundred percent sure?” Daphne’s quiet for a second.  
“…No.” Peter wants to move to sit upright to properly look at her, but she holds onto him. He ends up leaning on his arm that he didn't hold her with, which was below him before. His face hovers above hers. “I mean, she’s not controlling me, but she wants me to be exposed to these spells more often so that I build a resistance to it.” Daphne decides to leave out that that could also result in her losing herself more and more to the person putting the spells on her. She’s already worrying Peter enough with all of this.  
“That’s not happening. The goal is to keep magic as far away from you as possible.”  
“That’s what I told her.” Daphne sighs. “But like I said: own rules. Own morals.” Peter’s hand creeps up her body to cup her jaw.  
“I won’t let her.”  
“I know you won’t.” She leans into his touch with closed eyes, his attention and presence slightly numbing the ache in her head, and the corners of her mouth curl up slightly. “You got me.” It’s Peter’s turn to smile and he can’t help himself anymore. He inches closer and presses a kiss on the curled up corner of her mouth.  
“I got you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! <3


	76. Fit For A Zoo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne's frustrated with Tony for pretending he doesn't know what she's talking about. She has a conversation with Bruce.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse the short chapter. More's coming soon, I've just been occupied with life lol.

Peter was right. And boy, did he hate being right about this. Tony didn’t like him being in the bed with Daphne.  
“No-no-no,” Tony says while shaking his head the second he walks in and spots them in the bed. “Not in my house.”  
“We’re not-“ Peter stutters, but Tony interrupts him.  
“I don’t care what you do or don’t do. Daphne needs rest. So, _out._” Tony points away from the bed and Peter scrambles to get out of it, to Daphne’s dismay.  
“No offense, Mr. Stark, but I was actually doing better before you barged in,” Daphne groans, covering her eyes with her arm. It’s cold again without Peter next to her and her head’s banging annoyingly.  
“Sass. That’s good.” Tony saunters towards the bed. “Gonna have to do some tests to determine the severity of your concussion, but sass means it’s not super bad.”  
“Yeah, no, I’m just gonna go back to sleep.” Daphne turns to her side with her eyes closed and flinches as a rather persistent ringing starts in her ears.  
“What’s with the attitude?” Daphne doesn’t reply straight away, which makes Tony roll his eyes. “Daph?”  
“Don’t ‘Daph’ me,” she scoffs. “Liars get an attitude.”  
“Tsk.” Tony pulls a face. “I’m a compulsive liar, you’re gonna have to give me a little more than that.” Daphne pulls the sheets over her face and brings her knees to her chest.  
“Get lost.”

Tony raises an eyebrow and looks at Peter, who shrugs apologetically.  
“She knows,” is all he says.  
“Once again-“ Tony crosses his arms. “I’m gonna need a little more than that.”  
“Zephyr.” Daphne’s voice is muffled from under the covers. Tony brings his hands together.  
“Ah, does this mean David broke the spell?” Peter quickly shakes his head, pulling a face at Tony. Daphne whines quietly, causing Peter to shift all his attention on her. He slightly lifts the covers.  
“Daph, you need oxygen. Don’t hide.” Daphne puffs her cheeks at him.  
“I just wanna sleep.” Peter gets on his knees next to the bed and puts the blanket over his head, so he can look her in the eyes. The corner of his mouth curls down slightly when he notices her pupils are dilated differently.  
“Please, Dove… For me?” Daphne’s nose twitches and evades his gaze. She sighs.  
“_Fine,_” she mumbles. “Damned puppy dog eyes.”

…

“Yep,” Bruce says. “That’s quite the concussion.” Bruce had come down from his own quarters to do some tests while Peter and Tony left the room to discuss what Daphne told Peter. Despite Daphne’s ability to hold a conversation properly, she still shows severe symptoms. She’s often slow with replies, there’s a ringing in her ears… Not to mention the banging headache and the pupil issue.  
“Oh, no,” Daphne says sarcastically. She tries to roll her eyes, but the pressure behind them makes her squeeze them shut in pain. She’s sitting slumped on the side of the bed. “Can I go back to bed now?”  
“Yes, actually.” Bruce stands up from the chair. “Stay out of the sun. And, well… It’s smarter to just… Not go out for a while. Or engage in anything that involves a lot of thinking. You need as much rest as you can get.” Daphne slowly lays back down in the bed and closes her eyes.  
“Cool.”  
“Is everything alright?” Bruce cocks an eyebrow at her, but patiently waits for her delayed reply.  
“I’m fit for a zoo,” she mutters to the ceiling.  
“Why, isn’t that a little dramatic?” Bruce chuckles as he picks up his sweater from the chair. “It’s just a bit of bed rest.”  
“_Zephyr._” Strangely enough, Daphne likes the way the world rolls off her tongue. Yet she despises what it means. What it makes her.  
“What’s that?” Bruce asks while tidying up the small mess he made during the examination.  
“Me.” Daphne takes a breath. “Though, I shouldn’t be telling anybody this.”  
“Why are you telling me, then?”  
“I dunno,” she sighs. “Guess you might kind of get me.” Her speech is slightly slurred and Bruce is unsure if it’s the concussion or the strong pain meds he gave her. He stops in his tracks and looks at her confused.  
“That sounds… Unsettling.”  
“I mean I’m not…” Daphne needs to take a few breaths to suppress the pain in her head. “I’m not gonna turn big and green, but…” Bruce sits back down on the chair and leans his elbows on his knees.  
“You don’t have to tell me,” Bruce says with a kind smile.  
“I know.” Daphne’s voice grows weaker. The strong pain meds Bruce gave her are really kicking in now. “I just…” Her face relaxes and her mouth opens slowly as she’s starting to fall asleep again. "All I do is worry people. Nothing good happens when I'm around..." Bruce wants to protest, but he doesn't know what to say. He understands what she feels like. A little too well for his taste. He shoots her a worried glance. "I just... I feel like I'm..." Her hand drops to her side as she gives into the medication. “…a bother…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise, we're getting to the Christmas performance. 👀
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	77. Day Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne feels like a prisoner in Avengers Tower. A man with a metal arm comes to have a chat with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't want to post another short chapter, so I took two days for this chapter!

Day six. Daphne is _bored_ out of her mind. She gets too much time to think and it’s eating at her. She feels like she’s locked up in the Tower and she absolutely hates it. They didn’t let her go home because there’s always a doctor on site at the Tower and they want to regularly assess the concussion. At least that’s what they said. Daphne’s convinced they also didn’t let her go home so she wouldn’t be home alone when her dad was at work. She’d be vulnerable. Easy to take away.

She hates to admit that she did like the fact that she didn't have to spend too much time by herself. When she’s alone and awake she has a lot of time to think. _Too much time._ She mostly spends her days resting and sleeping, but whenever she was awake, there would always be someone at her side. Usually, she would wake up with Natasha or Bruce by her side and when Peter got back from school he’d take over.

After three days, Natasha _finally_ allowed Daphne to dance. She brought in a portable barre, set it up in the room and they did basic barre exercises that wouldn’t put too much pressure on Daphne. To Daphne’s dismay, Natasha cleared out the barre every time she left. She knew Daphne would just continue doing exercises she isn’t ready for. So, even though Daphne looked forward to the little classes, it always left her feeling empty afterwards. Unfulfilled. She wanted to do more than just pliés, tendus, degagés and ronde de jambes with an occasional passé or pas de cheval. Her foot never went above the knee and her upper body never did anything interesting. _Bo-ring._

Natasha is a surprisingly good teacher. Strict; as would be expected from someone who was raised doing Russian ballet. She gave Daphne some tips and they discussed choreographies and variations. Daphne would try to drag out the classes as long as she could. Unfortunately for her, Natasha is great at reading people, which means the second Daphne got tired, Natasha put her back to bed. She’d see through Daphne’s attempts to stay up longer every single time, which only resulted in Daphne’s frustration growing further.

Spending time with Bruce was a whole lot different. Daphne’s fairly certain he only really spends time in her room because she’s afraid of what she is and he gets that. In a way. She doesn’t talk much about it and Bruce might be a doctor, but he’s not a psychologist. However, he does explain to her how he deals with who he is and what he can become. Acceptance techniques and how to properly guide yourself through panic attacks or anxiety waves. Daphne appreciates it, but she’s unsure if her brain is actually doing anything with the information he’s giving her.

Peter always tells her about his day at school and does his homework at her side. He seems to rush it in order to spend more time to actually be with her, but she doesn’t mind watching him bent over his books. She’d lay on her side in her bed and Peter would be on the floor with his legs tucked in. She’d notice if he got really stuck on certain questions, which often happened when he had to do homework for more cultural subjects. History, English literature, et cetera. He’d be wary of asking her for the right answers, but Daphne insisted he’d involve her in this. He would never ask her anything too complicated and if she wasn’t sure about an answer, he’d just google it.

Her replies still have a slight delay and it takes her a while to process long sentences, but she’s getting better and better at it every day. The headache is still there, but it’s easing up as well. At school they know she has a concussion and that she has to stay in bed, but they don’t know how she got it. She hopes with all her heart they won’t ask about it when she gets back, but she doesn’t have high hopes. 

Even though Tony told Peter he’s not allowed in bed with Daphne, he did it anyways. She’d feel the calmest in his arms, so the second he would finish his homework he’d slide in the bed with her. They’d talk or nap. She still had trouble looking at screens, so when Peter would put up a film on his laptop, she’d just lay on his chest with her eyes closed, listening to the dialogue and music. Peter would lazily draw shapes wherever his hands rested, but she loves it the most when Peter plays with her hair, absentmindedly, yet gently pressing kisses on her crown.

When Peter leaves, the overthinking starts. How is she ever supposed to accept that she’s a usable object to most sorcerers? She’s a chicken that you put in a pen and every morning you take the eggs, only to leave them behind again for the rest of the day. After they have served their purpose. She’ll be tossed aside the second she can’t provide any service anymore, at which point she’ll probably just die. That’s another thing Daphne’s suddenly incredibly afraid of: death. She’s not exactly scared of what happens afterwards; it’s the way she dies. Will she die by someone else’s hands? A sorcerer who would make a reckless decision and take too much from her? Which sorcerer would that be? A friend? A foe? Or will she die of old age in the comfort of her own home, never having met a sorcerer that actively wants to use her? 

The question that haunts her the most, however, is whether or not she will die in captivity.

She didn’t really discuss any of this with anyone. She’s bothering them enough already. Though, it was clear to the people she spends the most time with, that her mental health isn’t exactly what it once was. Her paranoia was dialled up to eleven. Especially with her memories completely returned to her. Loki managed to leave out that he literally brought her back from the dead. How convenient for him. Why wouldn’t he tell her that? He said she was dying. He didn’t say she _died_. She really wants to discuss this with him, but she already told herself she wouldn’t bring it up during his December visit. She wants the Christmas performance to be a positive day. A day she doesn’t have to worry about any of this stuff. Just dance and have fun at the gala afterwards.

Then there is the issue of David’s parents. Whenever she thought about him, her headaches would get worse again, but she couldn’t bear the thought of being responsible for the death of his parents. Where are they?

_“Only you would know where they are, love.”_

What does he mean with that? Why would only she know? She can’t think of any location where his parents would be other than his home and Daphne’s certain they already checked his entire apartment complex, their work, et cetera. But this conundrum isn’t the only thing keeping Daphne up at night.

She bombards F.R.I.D.A.Y. with questions when everyone else is asleep. She’s fairly certain Tony can see logs of what Daphne asks his AI, but she doesn’t care. She can’t look at a screen and her brain needs to be soothed with answers and possible solutions to this mind control issue, so F.R.I.D.A.Y. is all she has. Daphne scoffed at the hundreds of search results that suggested hypnotism files that supposedly build up resistance. How do you build resistance to mind control if you let your mind be controlled to build said resistance? ‘I will hypnotize you so you won’t be hypnotized.’ There’s simply no logic to it. At least not to Daphne.

Other search results include certain herbs that should make you more awake and in the moment. Or that she should meditate to become more mindful. Nothing really seems to have any scientific proof attached to it, so Daphne remains sceptical. She doesn’t want her mind to be taken from her, but she also has no clue what to do about it.

During the day she found herself opposing orders more and more. When someone brought her food and told her to eat it, she simply wouldn’t, even though she’s hungry. Even the little ballet classes with Natasha became more of an issue as Daphne purposefully did something other than what Natasha told her to do. The only one she still listened to was Peter. He’s the only one she trusts unconditionally. However, her attitude created friction between her and the others. And now, on day six, she wakes up from a nap with someone unexpected sitting in the chair next to her bed.

“Afternoon,” Bucky says simply as he cocks an eyebrow at her. She’s used to Bruce being in that chair at this time of day, so spotting a silver arm in her peripheral vision made Daphne tense for a second.  
“Hi,” Daphne replies a little wary as she keeps herself covered in the sheets. Her voice is still a little coarse from sleeping. He has his brown hair in a half updo, to keep it out of his eyes, and his clothes are plain: a pair of dark jeans and a grey T-shirt. Daphne has a hard time looking away from his arm, reflecting the light from the lamps.

“My eyes are up here, hon.” Daphne’s cheeks go red as her eyes flick up to meet his.  
“Sorry,” she mutters. He laughs softly, but then a slightly uncomfortable silence settles between them.  
“Good nap?” he asks awkwardly. Daphne chuckles.  
“I’m not five, you know.” She slowly rolls to her side so she can look at him more easily. “But yes. Good nap.” Her smile falters. “Does Bruce have something else to do?”  
“Been overhearing what you’ve been up to. Figured it’s my turn to talk some sense into you.” Daphne frowns.  
“What?”  
“Your google searches and your opposing attitude have the others worried for you.” Daphne just stares at him as he speaks. “So, I was hoping you’d be so kind as to let me have a conversation with you about this.” His phrasing throws her off a little. Slightly dated, but not ancient. However, it wasn’t an order, so Daphne nods slowly.  
“Okay.”  
“I’m gonna tell a little story. If you don’t want to me to continue, you can let me know at any point.” Once again; no command. Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and swallows, breaking eye contact.

“It’s a little bit of a throwback, but as you may know now, I wasn’t… good. For a while.” He’s referring to his time as the Winter Soldier. The enhanced assassin sent out to kill people who were a threat to Hydra. Daphne shudders. “I didn’t do it of my own accord, though.” Her eyes shoot back up to meet his. “Now, I’m guessing whatever you are scared of can’t really be compared to what I went through.” It’s his turn to look away. His eyes glaze over slightly as he recalls his memories. “As in; I was manipulated through continuous conditioning, restrained in a machine.” He turns back to look directly at her. “Whereas you, so far, have only been exposed to magic.”

Daphne bites her cheek. But doesn’t talk. She just stares at him. There’s nothing for her to say right now. It’s weird how casual he is about this.  
“It hurts,” he says suddenly, making Daphne frown. He rolls his shoulders before he continues. “Breaking free. For me, it hurt. A lot.” Daphne’s face contorts. Pain is about the last thing she wants.  
“Whatever they did to me, it suppressed my memories. And I broke free while alone. I had to deal with it by myself. I was confused. And I stuffed my face with pain killers.” He stops talking. Instead he just looks at her as she thinks obout his words. It’s obvious she’s supposed to get something from this, but she’s unsure. She looks down at his arm again and suddenly it hits.  
“But you broke free.” A kind smile spreads on his face.  
“I did.” He repositions himself in the chair and cocks his head. “I still have some issues attached to what happened to me, but I’m certain that I’m free.” Daphne shifts in the bed and slowly pushes herself to sit upright, resting her back against the chesterfield headboard.

“How did you do it?” She asks. He glances at the door.  
“An old friend reminded me of who I am.”  
“Mr. Rogers?” Bucky purses his lips and nods.  
“It took both of us some work. Key word being: persistence.” His own hand fiddles with his metal hand. “Neither of us wanted to give up on each other and that’s how I broke free. He told me he’d be with me till the end of the line. And he was. Still is.” Bucky looks off into the distance. “I owe him a lot.” The silence that settles this time, feels a lot warmer. More comforting.

“How can I break free?” She mumbles quietly. “If I ever… Well…”  
“It’s different for everyone, so it might very well be different for you too.” Back to the odd phrasing. It seems like he’s thinking about his words. About what he’s saying, when he’s talking about her to her. “I would suggest determining an anchor point that can help you stay grounded.” It’s the same advice Ravir gave her. “And, well: persistence.” Daphne suddenly realizes what he’s doing. He’s rephrasing his sentences. He’s not telling her what to do. He’s leaving it open for her to decide. She looks at him rather surprised and he smiles back, knowing she finally caught on.

“Some people here don’t remember it as well as others did, but I went through something similar when I first broke free. I spent a few months in Wakanda. If you were to ask them about my behaviour, many would say I wasn’t all that fun to be around. Didn’t listen to anything they said.” He laughs softly at his own memories of the situation. “When they told me to go to point A, I went to point B. Or I didn’t move at all. When they told me to go to bed, I stayed up. At one point I just stopped showering cause they told me I needed to clean myself. It was disgusting.” He seems to be greatly enjoying recollecting what he did in Wakanda. Daphne settles on him being ‘a little shit.’ Much like she is right now. “It’s not like I didn’t want to listen to them, but it was my subconscious telling me to be my own person. To not have anybody else make decisions for me. I controlled myself and I wouldn’t do what others told me.”

Daphne nods.  
“Yeah… I get that.” Bucky just smiles. He pats his knees with his hands as he stands up.  
“I will be leaving you and your thoughts alone again so you can consider what I told you, should you want to.” Daphne scoffs and shuffles where she sits.  
“You know what, phrasing stuff like that makes it actually sound really stupid.” Bucky raises his eyebrows. “It’s too sweet.” A cheeky grin spreads on his face. Is that what he wanted her to realize all along?  
“When the Wakandans found out that technique works for me, they haven’t stopped using it. I barely dare to set foot in that country anymore. They’re too nice to me,” Bucky laughs. “Glad you caught on, though. Would you like me to keep talking like this? Or-“  
“Nah, no, please. Regular phrasing.” Daphne chuckles. “I… I think I get you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! ^_^


	78. Channeling Device

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony invites Daphne to the monthly Avengers dinner, but didn't mention he invited a guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have returned! Hope to start posting regularly again! My new schedule will be one chapter every two days, just so I can make them a bit longer and you all get more to read than a just a thousand words. ^_^
> 
> Warning: there is a mention of one specific drug, just once. It's not really significant, but it's there.

“Hey, kid.” Tony walks into Daphne’s room unannounced. She doesn’t look at him. A few days ago, he told her his side of the story and she told him she needs time to let her anger out. She may have also told him where to shove it, but Tony just nodded and left. At least he understood she didn’t like him keeping _that_ secret from her.  
“Hey,” she replies simply. She’s doing her homework, hoping to catch up so she can start classes again on Monday.  
“I know you’re not really happy with me right now, but I just wanted to let you know that we have the monthly Avengers dinner thingy tonight and eh, well…” He scratches the back of his head. “Since you’ve been here for a while now and getting better, I figured it’d be appropriate to invite you to that.”

Daphne cocks an eyebrow and glances at him.  
“Avengers dinner?” The sceptical remark makes Tony laugh softly.  
“Yeah, Steve’s idea, not mine.” Tony sucks at his teeth and taps his foot. Daphne shifts her attention back to her homework and doesn’t reply. “It’s at six. We’ll save you a seat.”  
“Thanks.” Tony blinks a few times.  
“Did you just say thanks?”  
“I can take it back, yaknow?” she replies promptly.  
“No take-backsies.” He points at her as he says that. He starts moving out the door again and Daphne scoffs.  
“How old are you again?” He’s already out the door but replies anyways:  
“That’s not a very nice question to ask a man of my age!” He shouts from the hallway.  
“You basically just said you’re old!” She shouts back at him. He suddenly pokes his head back in.  
“Touché.” He grins wide with his lips pressed together. His eyes turn to slits. “So,” he says quickly as he nods. “See you at six?”  
“Sure.”

The second Tony closes the door she realizes what this means. Dinner with the Avengers. Sure, she might have warmed up to a few of them, but there are more Avengers than the ones she’s had conversations with. She knows they’re all just people too, but it’s still quite intimidating to sit at a table with them. Is Peter going to be there? He told her he isn’t officially an Avenger, which worries her. But if she’s invited to the dinner, why wouldn’t Peter be? She hopes with all her heart that he’s going to be there too.

…

Daphne makes her way to the penthouse living quarters. Her dad didn’t pack regular clothes for her, so she’s still in sweatpants and Peter’s Midtown Tech hoodie. She quietly prays that there isn’t actually a dress code. The elevator door dings and the doors open.  
“Daph!” Peter looks up from his work in the kitchen and a bright smile spreads across his face.  
“Pete, hey, you’re here too?”  
“It’s my turn to cook,” he says, almost apologetically. Daphne walks towards him and gently takes the knife out of his hand. She presses a quick kiss on his cheek and bumps his hip with hers, silently telling him to step aside. Instead of stepping to the side, he takes a step back so he can wrap his arms around her waist. She takes the bell pepper in her hand and continues chopping it.  
“You seem nervous,” she jokes.  
“Parkers aren’t good cooks.” He laughs at his own remark, but it dies down. “All the Avengers are gonna have to eat what I make them. Last time we had to order takeout cause I somehow set the pot on fire.” Daphne chuckles.  
“You don’t just set a pot on fire- what did you do?”  
“Honestly, no clue.”

Daphne enjoys the warmth of Peter’s body against her back and has to put in a lot of effort to continue focussing on bell pepper in front of her.

“Tony said dinner was at six?” Daphne glances at the clock on the wall.  
“It’s actually at seven.”  
“Ah, so this was a ruse to get me out of the room,” she scoffs with a smile.  
“Dunno. I mean, he knew I’d be here at six.” Peter presses his lips against her temple in a soft kiss, but she winces slightly at the sudden ache jolting through her head. She clutches the knife and Peter immediately lets go of her. “Sorry!” Daphne leans on the counter with both her hands, one of them still holding the knife, and she takes a few breaths.  
“It’s okay, Pete. Just gotta take it slow.” She groans quietly. “Stupid concussion.”  
“Are you alright? Can I get you anything?” His hand rests gently on her upper arm.  
“Just hold me,” she sighs as she leans back against him. She frowns again when the pain doesn’t seem to go away. “Okay, maybe also a paracetamol.”

…

At around a quarter to seven, some of the Avengers started coming up to the penthouse. Bruce first, then Steve and Sam. They all sat down at the dinner table after saying hi to the cooks. Sam decided to comment on Daphne being in the kitchen with Peter to keep him from setting things ablaze again, recalling the pot fire from last time with a snort. Bucky didn’t say anything when he arrived, but he did raise an eyebrow at Daphne, smiling at the fact that she finally came out of her room. Daphne smiled back and with a nod he made his way to the dinner table. Conversations and laughter fill the large room and Peter turns to Daphne.

“What was that?” Peter whispers.  
“Wha-?”  
“Bucky?” He raises his eyebrows at her and she chuckles slightly as she stirs the pasta.  
“We had a chat a few days ago,” she whispers back at him.  
“You had a _chat_ with I-don’t-talk-to-anyone-but-Steve-Nat-and-Sam Bucky?” Daphne shrugs.  
“He talked to me.” She turns her head to look at Peter, who stares at her. “He’s pretty cool.” Peter scoffs and continues chopping up the basil.  
“Yeah, no kidding.”  
“Jealous, Pete?” Daphne smirks.  
“No!” He says a little too loud. The table goes quiet and everyone turns to look at him. His cheeks go red and he quickly turns back to the basil. To everyone’s surprise, Daphne laughs out loud, dropping the spoon into the pot and hugging her waist. She hasn’t laughed like this since she was brought in last week. It’s a pleasant sound and it’s proof of her recovery, easing everyone’s concerns. Her laughter fills the room with a warmth no one knew was missing.

…

It’s kind of weird to see Peter so comfortable with his powers around other people. He easily carried both large pots at the same time, one in each hand, to the table. She didn’t really realize how much he actually holds back until he doesn’t. Natasha and another man walk into the penthouse. It takes Daphne a second to realize it’s the man known as Hawkeye. What is his name again? Flint? She puffs her cheeks and hopes that his name will drop at some point during the dinner. She takes the cheese she shredded to the table and places it next to the big pots. 

Daphne turns to walk to the kitchen once more, when they’re all interrupted by Tony, who – as usual – is fashionably late. Pepper is right behind him.  
“Evenin’ everyone.” There’s a rather smug smile on his face and Daphne hates to admit that she doesn’t like it. He’s up to something. “Thought our guest would’ve been here already, but apparently not.” Daphne cocks an eyebrow and places her hands on her hips. Guest? “Kind of annoying,” he adds. “I prefer being the last to join the party.” Pepper rolls her eyes behind him and nudges him to the table.

Peter dries his hands after washing them and absentmindedly tosses the towel to Daphne, who just turned off the tap. She doesn’t look up, yet catches the towel with ease. He shoots her a quick smile before heading towards the table. Daphne looks up and sees there are only a few spots left. She thinks for a second, but ends up heading to the seat next to Bucky. It’s probably the best place to sit for her, with Peter right opposite her.

“So, what are we eating tonight? Thai? Pizza?” Sam jokes. Daphne scoffs and shakes her head. Peter defends his dish.  
“Actually, we’re eating pasta.” Sam playfully raises an eyebrow at him.  
“A true student meal.”  
“Cut us some slack, man,” Daphne laughs. “We’re not chefs.” Sam raises his pointer finger and nods approvingly, making everyone chuckle.  
“Yet!”

When everyone has filled up their plates for their first round, the pleasant conversations are suddenly silenced by an orange circle appearing next to the table. Daphne holds her breath as doctor Strange walks through. He adjusts the sleeves of his coat and clears his throat. A frown appears on his face. Without looking up from his cuffs he sighs deeply.  
“Stark, what is _she_ doing here?” Daphne stares at him with her jaw clenched. He knew she was there simply by being in the same room as him. He senses her.  
“_He’s_ your guest?” Bruce butts in, quietly telling Tony off for his actions and confirming that no one knew this was going to happen. Tony quickly stands up with his hands raised, trying to keep the peace.  
“Doctor, good to have you here!”

…

To say the dinner became awkward after that, would probably be the greatest understatement of the year. Stephen was seated next to Peter, diagonally opposite Daphne. Her appetite has disappeared completely. She twists and untwists the spaghetti in her fork. Stephen hasn’t even grabbed a plate of food. All he does is stare at her. Tony clears his throat.  
“The reason why you’re both here is because I would like you two to talk it out.” Daphne turns her head to look at him with raised eyebrows.  
“And drag all of them into this?” She gestures to the rest of the Avengers.  
“Social pressure. I’d like you to keep it civil.”  
“You know what, you’re an asshole.” Daphne stands up, pushing her chair back.  
“Sit down, Daphne.” She glares at Strange and doesn’t move. He doesn’t get to tell her what to do. She’s not going to listen to him. To Daphne’s surprise, Bucky moves forward to lean on the table.

“Rephrase your sentences,” he says. “Giving her orders won’t actually make her ease up to you.”  
“Do I look like I want her to ease up on me?” Stephen scoffs. Daphne throws her hands up.  
“You know what? Fuck this.” She stands up and moves away from the table towards the elevator. “Fuck you,” she hisses at no one in particular. She blinks once and suddenly Strange is right next to her. He grabs her wrist harshly, but could not have predicted what would happen next. An odd, but strong flow surges through him and Daphne yelps at the contact.

Everyone at the dinner table stares at the scene in front of them in shock. Daphne’s eyes seem to be glowing slightly, as are Stephen’s. He looks at Daphne’s wrist that he’s holding and then at his own hand. It tingles strangely and light blue sparks jump from their skin. His muscles are completely tensed and his mind races. What is happening? He feels strange. _Powerful._ He gasps as he lets go of her and they both stumble backwards, away from each other. Daphne’s legs give way and she falls to her knees.

Peter finds himself rushing to Daphne without thinking. He tries to touch her, but he flinches and pulls back his hand when he hears a snap and the immediate heat of Daphne’s skin on his stings him again. He stares at the regulator around his wrist and blinks at it as he sees smoke coming out of it. It… Broke? Daphne’s eyes stop glowing, but she can’t do much, other than staring ahead. Stephen stands up straight, cracking his back. He’s frowning at the hand he held Daphne with and slowly shifts his attention to the girl when she speaks softly.  
“Did you just…”  
“I did not mean to,” he replies quickly and quietly. She looks up at him with wide eyes.  
“You… Did not mean to channel me?” She pushes out. He looks at her embarrassed.  
“The silver mist warned me I would be tempted to use you, but I did not expect my body to act subconsciously like that.” Daphne’s hand slowly moves to her back to rub on her aching scar.

No one at the table dares to move. Even Tony doesn’t know what to say.  
“Is…” Daphne pauses to take a breath and start over. “Is that why you act so cold?” Stephen’s face contorts and he looks away, clenching his fist. “To distance yourself from me?”  
“You need to realize that not everyone has bad intentions,” he says through gritted teeth, still looking away.

He turns around and brings his hands forward to create a portal. Portals are relatively easy to make, especially the ones that bring him back to the Sanctum, but the speed at which the portal appeared with Daphne’s… help… was astonishing. He hates how good it feels to have that extra boost. He’s never experienced anything like this before. Ordinary channelling devices are nothing compared to the little bit he took from Daphne. He winces. He took it from her. Without her consent. But the kick he got out of it, is mind blowing. Like he’s on PCP. He’s invincible. The portal, that’s usually orange, now has hints of blue painted through it. “Now, if you will excuse me,” he turns his head slightly, taking a breath and doing everything he can to keep his composure. “I need to get rid of what I took.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO! Daphne just got channeled for the first time. Thoughts? 👀👀👀👀


	79. Split In Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter's affected by Daphne's electricity levels and the morning news starts with a troubling item.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another convention weekend over and I'm forcing myself through a writer's block. Sorry for the delay!

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for Daphne to collect herself and turn to Peter, who is next to her on the floor. His face is flushed red and he’s panting slightly, as he stares at his hand.  
“Oh, God, Peter-“ She shifts, but refrains from touching him. “Are you okay?” He smiles slightly through his panting and shakes his head once.  
“I’m fine, I’m fine- are you-“  
“You’re _not_ fine, what the hell!” Daphne looks at the regulator on his wrist. The smoke drifting from the little machine can only mean one thing. “Fuck, Mr. Stark, where the fuck is a second regulator?!” She shouts up, past Peter’s face. He winces, but his muscles don’t relax afterwards. Instead, he gasps quietly and presses his eyes shut as the burning sensation starts spreading over his body.

Daphne shouting Tony’s name finally makes everyone at the table shift into action. Bruce rushes to Daphne and Peter, and Tony makes his way to wherever he could get another regulator. Dr. Banner crouches down and takes Peter’s upper arms in his hands.  
“Peter, I need you to breathe with me.” Daphne feels two hands, one warm, one cold, pulling her backwards, away from Peter. She looks back startled. It’s Bucky. His face contorts slightly and he glances at his metal arm, which seems to respond negatively to touching Daphne as well. He lets go of her with the metal arm and nods once in her general direction.  
“S’okay,” he says simply. 

Daphne blinks a few times and looks back at Peter who’s still struggling to keep himself together. She hates not being able to hold him while he’s in such distress. He’s shaking and soft whimpers and whines escape his mouth.  
“Peter, I need you to look at me,” Bruce orders. Peter starts rocking back and forth while shaking his head, keeping his eyes screwed shut.  
“Can---- can’t,” he gasps. “Fi-Fire! Fe... B... Being split in two!”  
“Tony, where’s that regulator?!” Steve shouts through the living quarters.

Tony taps away on one of his tablets, seemingly modifying a regulator to work the way it’s supposed to.  
“His heartbeat’s going up fast, Tony! We don’t know how much he can take, we need it now!” Bruce shouts away from Peter, who seems to have stopped breathing altogether.   
“I’m _WORKING ON IT!_” Tony yells back. Daphne stares at the scene as if it’s not actually happening. As if she’s not really there. She can’t do anything but watch it all unfold in front of her. She's never seen this group of people so stressed.  
“Jesus Christ,” she hears Sam mumble behind her. Daphne tugs at Bucky’s hand, hoping he’ll let go of her, but his grip on her is tight. Relentless.

Tony finally arrives with another regulator and swiftly takes off the old one. The second the new one is placed around Peter’s wrist; he visibly relaxes all his muscles and slumps onto the floor. His eyes roll back into his sockets as he loses consciousness.

…

There’s a warm glow on Peter’s face. It’s pleasant. Homely. His eyes slowly open, but he has to squint because of the sun shining right into his eyes. He turns slowly and spots Daphne sleeping peacefully in the arm chair, curled up, covered with a blanket. He half smiles, but suddenly remembers what happened yesterday.  
“Daph…?” He says softly. His voice is deep from having just woken up. Her eyes flutter until she makes eye contact with him. She immediately pushes to sit up straight.

“Pete,” she whispers breathlessly. “You alright?”  
“Yeah,” he chuckles softly. “I needed the nap after… Well, you know.”  
“You did a little more than nap,” she scoffs quietly as she moves out of the chair and towards his bed.  
“I’m okay, I promise.” He smiles, but it falters. “Are… Are you okay?” Daphne nods.  
“Yeah, the physical contact with Dr. Strange just spiked my electricity levels. He didn’t take much from me.” She holds up her hand and studies the wrist Stephen had grabbed. “It’s almost weird to say that I’m feeling better than I did before.” Peter remains quiet and moves slightly to feel the new regulator on his arm. “Mr. Stark said the spike was temporarily and you happened to touch me at the wrong moment. I should be back to normal again.” Daphne bites the inside of her cheek. “Though, I’d understand if you don’t want to touch me for a while.”

Peter stares at her in disbelief.  
“Why would I not want to touch you?”  
“I don’t want to hurt you,” she says with a contorted face. Peter immediately shifts to sit up with his feet touching the floor. He reaches out for her hand and grabs it with both of his, the familiar warm, but good feeling flowing into him through her touch. She tenses for a second at the contact, but when Peter doesn’t have a negative reaction to their connection, she relaxes again. Peter waits for her to look him straight in the eye again before he speaks.  
“I’ve told you before and I will say it again: you never hurt me.”

Daphne doesn’t reply. She just stares at him until he smiles again.  
“C’mere.” He tugs at her hands slightly and brings one arm to the side so he can hug her once she’s settled on his lap. Her legs wrap around his waist and she hides her face in the crook of his neck. He takes a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of her pomegranate shampoo and he closes his eyes as he sighs. One of his hands rests on her lower back and his other hand finds the back of her head. He softly massages her scalp. She relaxes into his touch as she holds onto him.

“Mr. Stark apologized.” Her voice sounds muffled against his skin. The vibrations of her words softly thrum through his body.  
“The least he should do,” he mumbles back. “Did you forgive him?”  
“I accepted that it happened. He knows I’m not very happy with him.” She lets out a big sigh. “I just don’t understand why he still puts this much effort into me.”  
“He cares more about you than you think he does.”  
“He cares about keeping earth safe. I’m an anomaly that could lure possible threats here.” Peter can feel her tense up as she speaks. “That’s why he keeps an eye on me.”  
“That’s what he told me he felt like when he first learned about what you are.” Peter caresses Daphne’s hair. “But he’s genuinely warmed up to you, trust me.”  
“He doesn’t act like it.”  
“He’s…”  
“He’s what?” Daphne asks sternly.  
“He’s Tony Stark.”  
“S’not an excuse,” she mutters.  
“No,” Peter replies. “I guess it's just how he rolls.”

Daphne feels Peter’s stomach rumble against her own belly. She chuckles quietly and pushes away from him, so she can look Peter in the eye. He cocks his head at her and smiles slightly. She brings her face close to his and gently touches his nose with hers. She angles her neck so she can press a soft kiss on his lips and she smiles into it. When she lets go of him, she moves to stand up, to Peter’s dismay. She offers him her hand and he takes it eagerly. She really has him wrapped around her finger.  
“Let’s get you some breakfast.”

…

Sam eyes the two teens as they walk into the common living area. His gaze lingers on their hands, which they’re holding.  
“You sure that’s a good idea, kid?” He says with a cocked eyebrow.  
“Good morning to you to too, Mr. Wilson,” Peter replies cheekily. “And yeah, the regulator works again, so this is fine.”  
“Aight, you do you.” Sam turns back to the TV. The news is just starting.

Peter and Daphne make their way to the kitchen area.  
“I’m starving,” Peter groans. He hasn’t had much to eat for a while as he wasn’t able to finish his dinner yesterday, and since he was bitten, he has to eat more than an average human being to keep himself fueled. He opens all the cupboards and takes out everything that suits his cravings at the moment. Daphne grabs an apple from the fruit bowl and leaves it at that for now.

“Um…” Sam suddenly breaks the silence. “Y’all might wanna see this.” Daphne and Peter walk up to the lounge area where Sam is seated by himself. He rewinds part of the news and puts the sound up even more. The news lady speaks with as much disbelief as with which the people in the room are watching her.

_”Satellite images confirm that, last night, an external force split Annapurna II, one of the Himalayan mountains, straight in two. This footage was sent by a group of people who had to discontinue their climb to the top of said mountain.”_

A very low-quality video shows shaky flashes of orange and blue, and loud rumbling, on a dark mountain. The sounds are distorted through the camcorder mic. In the distance, multiple avalanches start tumbling down the mountain and the climbers start panicking as they instantly decide to stop their climb and make their way back down for their own safety.

_”Local authorities will not elaborate on what happened, but have confirmed that the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division, also known as S.H.I.E.L.D., is on site to research the situation. The-“_

Sam cuts off the lady by turning off the sound and he turns to the two teens with raised eyebrows.  
“Is it just me or did that orange stuff look a whole lot like-“  
“Doctor Strange…” Daphne mumbles. She’s still staring at the screen, where the footage of the climbers is being replayed.  
“He split a mountain in two?!” Peter’s eyebrows nearly disappear into his hairline. Sam takes a breath and eyes Daphne.  
“With a little help, is my guess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! ^_^


	80. Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter visits Doctor Strange and Daphne goes back to school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff warning at the eeeend!

Stephen lies on the stairs of the Sanctum, staring at the high ceiling of the staircase. At the bottom, Maria Hill taps her foot impatiently. She’s been questioning him for about twenty minutes now, but he still hasn’t moved from his unconventional resting spot. His hair is tousled and his clothes disheveled. His trusty cloak floats next to him in a protective manner. Stephen’s eyes flick towards a window a few flights up when his security spell warns him someone else is coming in. He scoffs softly. _Spider-Man._

Peter stays hidden from Mrs. Hill and Doctor Strange, but scoots close enough to overhear the conversation. It took him some effort to find his way through the absolute mess the Sanctum is in. Broken glass is scattered on the floor, as are many of the collectibles and sacred objects. Someone wrecked the place. 

“I told you, Hill, there was an energy surge that needed taking care of, so I brought it to the Himalayas,” Stephen groans. “I couldn’t stop it from splitting the mountain in two.” Peter gratefully closes his eyes. Stephen’s protecting Daphne.  
“And you are absolutely positive this won’t be happening again?” Hill asks sternly. It’s quiet for a few seconds.  
“Yes.” Maria scoffs at his weak reply.  
“Very convincing, Strange.”  
“I will do everything I can to ensure it won’t happen again. Now leave my Sanctum.”

Maria’s heels click on the floor as she makes her way to the exit as she speaks.  
“We’ll be watching you, Doctor.” It’s Stephen’s turn to scoff.  
“As if you didn’t already.” The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent loudly shuts the door and Stephen sighs audibly. “Come out, Peter,” he says after a little while, startling the young spider.

Carefully, Peter makes his way down the stairs, evading the curtains that have seemingly been ripped off the wall. His eyes go wide when he sees the sorcerer laying on the stairs like a starfish.   
“Doctor Strange!” He rushes towards the slumped body. “Are you okay?”  
“A little tired, is all,” Stephen sighs as he absentmindedly waves one hand.  
“What happened to the Sanctum?” Doctor Strange glares at Peter.  
“Do you have any idea how much it hurts to hold that much energy inside?” Peter bites the inside of his cheek before he replies.  
“I… I kinda do, actually.”  
“Sure, kid.” Stephen closes his eyes again and lets out another sigh. “I’ve never felt anything like it before.”

Peter cocks his head. It sounds like Stephen didn't hate the feeling. Like he enjoyed it. Stephen whines slightly when he sits upright. His cloak helps him stand up and he raises his eyebrows at Peter. Stephen walks up the stairs and Spider-Man follows until they’re both standing opposite the war zone that Stephen created. “See those small boxes?” He gestures at a few cubes, scattered on the floor. “Tried to put Daphne’s energy in there.”  
“But it didn’t work?” Peter tugs at his mask to take it off. Stephen stares at the mess he made.  
“It backfired. Quite literally.”

Stephen’s cloak moves to rest on his shoulders, so he can float over all the scattered items.  
“I’m expecting quite the lecture from Wong when he returns.” Stephen pushes his hands through his hair to tame it.  
“What happened…? Exactly?” Peter’s voice is a mixture of worry and curiosity as he follows the doctor. Stephen rolls his eyes.  
“I couldn’t contain the power, so the only thing I could think to do was go somewhere deserted to let it all out.”  
“And then you split a mountain in two.”  
“By accident!” Stephen exclaims frustrated. Peter looks down at his feet with his eyebrows raised.  
“Does that mean you could’ve destroyed New York if you’d stayed here?” He almost doesn’t dare to look back up at Strange, but does so anyways. Stephen’s face contorts.  
“Most likely.”

Stephen picks up one of the cubes and looks at it while Peter fiddles with the mask in his hands.  
“Don’t you usually create illusions? Wouldn't it have less of an impact if you did that?” Peter asks quietly. Doctor Strange looks up at Peter and presses his lips on top of each other.  
“I tried,” he sighs. “Her energy only works with physical magic. Practical. Nature. Yada, yada.” He waves his hand again, a bit more frantically this time. “My best guess is that that’s the case because she was created through practical magic.”  
“The thunder strike?” Stephen nods once.  
“So, no illusionary magic. Or mind stuff. Only things you can physically touch.”

Doctor Strange’s shoulders droop while Peter’s trying to process what the sorcerer is telling him.  
“I won’t be going near her ever again, you can tell her I promise that.” He frowns at the floor for a few seconds, making Peter shuffle in his place. He’s going to say something else. Peter can feel it. When they lock eyes, goose bumps spread over Peter’s entire body. “But if I do… go near her again...” Peter’s eyes go slightly wider at the implication that Strange might not be able to control himself. “Knock me out.”

…

“Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaphne!” Betty practically jumps on top of Daphne when the friend group spots her and Peter walking into the school on Monday morning. “Welcome back!” Daphne laughs sheepishly as Peter moves to stand between Betty and Daphne.  
“Careful- concussion’s not yet gone,” he says seriously. Ned notices Peter's carrying both his and Daphne's backpack and rolls his eyes with a grin. Betty pulls a face and leans on one foot to give Daphne a reassuring smile.  
“Move it, bodyguard.” MJ pulls at Peter’s shirt until they can all see Daphne again. MJ nods once and keeps her head angled up slightly, looking at Daphne through hooded eyes. “S’up.”

…

By the end of the day, Daphne was exhausted. However, it’s not long until the Christmas performance and Daphne can't afford to miss any more classes. She’s going to have to work extra hard this week if she wants to shine at the Christmas performance this Sunday. Especially now that Peter has also missed a week of dance classes. He’s needs the extra practice more than anyone, really.

Peter hates to admit he’s reluctant to go to the ballet school. He doesn’t want Daphne to overwork herself, which she’s clearly already doing on day one of being back at school.  
“Are you sure about this, Daph?” He tries changing her mind again as she practically drags him up the stairs in front of the school. On Monday, the youngest students dance. Parents flood the building. Daphne pushes through them and aims for the only empty dance hall in the school.  
“One-hundred percent,” she replies with confidence as they walk into the hall. She closes the door behind them and continues dragging him into the room. “No, wait, one-hundred-twenty percent.”

Peter frowns and stops walking, which results in Daphne being unable to pull him any further. It looks quite comical, as Peter doesn’t really have to put in any effort to remain still, while Daphne is now trying to get him to move along with both hands and bent knees. He tugs at her arms once, resulting in her yelping softly as she’s immediately pulled into his chest.  
“I promise I’ll dance with you if you promise me you will drop your homework and just sleep tonight.”  
“I promise,” she says quickly as she starts pulling at him. He raises his eyebrows at her. She was lying and they both knew it.  
“Daphne,” he says with a stern look on his face. “Promise for real.” She relaxes, knowing she can’t actually fight the strong arms that are wrapped around her. Not that she minds him holding her like that.

She cheekily looks up at him and then moves in to press a tender kiss on his lips, lingering just a little too long for it to be socially acceptable.  
“Promise,” she mumbles into his mouth seductively. Peter scoffs into a smile as he pulls back and bites his lip.  
“Nooo, no, no, no, no, no, I see what you’re doing. You’re not winning this!” He laughs. Daphne squeals as he pokes her in the side, tickling her.  
“Gah, Pete!”  
“Promise Daph, or I’m gonna stay over to make sure you sleep!” he jokes. She grabs his hand, forcing them to pause, and smirks at him.  
“But what if I want you to stay over?”  
“Fine,” he chuckles as he pulls her closer again to make their noses touch. “Then don’t promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh, I love writing for these two. <3


	81. Nerves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter is incredibly nervous, Madame Touha gets involved and the Art Class's violinist needs Daphne's help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer chapterrrr! Been writing this for a few days. I think I prefer this way of writing instead of feeling the pressure I put on myself to post daily! I hope you'll enjoy it!

_Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap-_  
“Yo, Pete.” Peter’s brought back to reality by MJ, who looks at him bored, with her eyebrows raised. The pencil in his hand freezes.  
“Wha-?” he asks sheepishly, unaware of what he was doing. MJ nods at the pencil and looks back up at him.  
“That’s annoying.” Peter’s eyebrows shoot to his hairline as he grabs the pencil with both hands, straightening his himself and leaning back.  
“Sorry!” He presses his lips on top of each other.  
“What’s got you so worked up, dude?” When Peter opens his mouth to reply, she continues: “No, wait, I don’t think I actually care _that_ much. If you could just stop tapping that pencil, that’d be great.”

Peter scratches the back of his head with a smile and a scoff and nods.  
“Alright, alright.”  
“Well, MJ might not care, but I do. What’s up, bro?” Ned glances back from where he’s seated so he can make eye contact with his best friend. Peter drops his arms on the desk and presses his mouth into his elbow.  
“It’s nothing,” he says quickly, muffled.  
“Liarrrrr,” Ned laughs quietly, trying not to disturb the class too much.  
“I’m not a liar!”  
“Said Pinocchio,” MJ says with a grin.  
“Gahh, you guys!” Peter now presses his forehead into his crossed arms.  
“Is everything alright back there, Mr. Parker?” The teacher looks up from his book and cocks an eyebrow. Once again, Peter shoots to sit back upright and nods once.  
“Yes, sir.”

Peter rushes out of the class when the bell finally rings, evading further questions from his friends. He wants to get there first. At her locker. He rushes past Flash and some others, easily evading them. He turns the corner and pulls a face when he spots her already putting some stuff in her locker. She can’t see him, because her locker door opens on his side. He comes to a halt right next to her and tries to casually lean against the lockers. Without success. He pants slightly and raises his eyebrows when Daphne chuckles.  
“Smooth.” He can hear her smile. She closes her locker and makes eye contact with him, cocking one eyebrow. His whole body lights up when he sees her face again. “You ready?” 

Peter blinks a few times and has to take a breath.  
“Kind of nervous, to be honest.” Daphne nods once and takes a step closer to him to press a quick peck on his cheek. He swiftly grabs her face with his hands and connects their lips, closing his eyes as he breathes her in.  
“Wow, Pete, we’re in public.” She laughs as she pulls back. His thumb caresses her cheekbone and he half smiles.  
“I know, I know… I just… I’m really nervous,” he admits, changing his earlier statement.  
“And kissing me makes you less nervous?” She grins mischievously and stretches her back, letting go of him.  
“A little, yeah.”  
“Can’t kiss all the time, Pete,” she chuckles. “Besides, it’s just a costume fitting.”  
“A dress rehearsal is more than a costume fitting, you know that,” he counters. Daphne nods and grabs her bag.  
“True, true.” She brings her hand up to push it through Peter’s hair and he closes his eyes, leaning into her touch. “You’ll be fine,” she says reassuringly.  
“Are you sure?” He asks with a slight frown. She leans in to press another kiss on his lips, making Peter’s heart skip a beat. She smiles against him.  
“One-hundred-twenty percent.”

…

“Peter, I can tell you’re tense,” Madame Touha groans softly. This is the seventh time she’s told him to relax, but Peter can’t help himself.  
“Sorry, Madame,” he breathes while placing Daphne gently on the ground.  
“To be fair, I kind of expected you to have nerves of steel,” she chuckles as she looks down. She tries keeping it vague, because she still doesn’t know Daphne knows about Peter being Spider-Man. Peter pulls at the sleeve of his costume, rolls his shoulder and laughs sheepishly. Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and decides to refill their water bottles.

Peter can’t help but stare at Daphne as she walks away from him. The big white and pink-ish red costume fits her perfectly. The pancake tutu is gigantic, making her seem even smaller than she already is. She’s stunning, like a porcelain doll. He sighs longingly as Daphne walks out of the dance hall to the changing rooms, but gets pulled out of it by a snap in front of his face.  
“This is not Romeo and Juliet, Peter, I need you to focus,” Madame Touha says sternly.  
“Right!” he yelps. “I’m just…” He takes a breath. “I’m nervous for Sunday.”  
“You’ll be fine,” Madame Touha says with a nod. “If you _focus._” Madame Touha glances at the door and back at Peter. “That concussion…” She mumbles.

Peter half freezes and presses his lips together.  
“Concussion?” He tries to sound stupid but fails miserably.  
“Did you have anything to do with that?” She cocks an eyebrow at him. The way she enunciates the sentence says enough about which version of Peter she’s talking about. Peter immediately shakes his head.  
“No!” He pulls a face. “Not directly.” Madame Touha’s eyebrows raise.  
“Not directly?”  
“I can’t really… Say what happened…” Peter purses his lips as he bites the inside of his cheek. He hates how unconvincing he sounds. “I was there, but I wasn’t the cause.”  
“Then what was?” Peter simply shakes his head. He senses Daphne in the hallway and looks at the door.

Before Madame Touha can continue questioning Peter, Daphne walks back in. She stops in her tracks when she sees their contorted faces.  
“Is everything alright?” she asks carefully.  
“Yeah, I just asked Peter about your concussion.” Daphne’s eyes immediately shoot to her boyfriend.  
“It’s not bothering me anymore, if that’s what you mean.” Madame Touha smiles.  
“I don’t like it when people keep secrets from me, Daphne.” Madame Touha walks up to Daphne and cups her face. “You’ve been so tired since you met Peter.” Before Daphne can counter, Madame Touha continues. “But you’ve also improved at a pace I can barely believe.” Daphne looks down at the two water bottles in her hands.  
“Madame, I-“  
“During classes you push each other to your limits.” Madame Touha stifles a soft laugh as she brings a stray hair behind Daphne’s ear. “Constantly trying to impress each other with your abilities.” Madame Touha lets go of Daphne’s face and lets her hands fall to Daphne’s shoulders. “But your mind is clouded with worry.” Madame Touha glances at Peter, who fiddles with his fingers. “As is his.” She sighs slowly. “You know. Don’t you?”

Daphne stands frozen in place, not daring to look at the woman whom she would call her mother if she could.  
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. Madame Touha chuckles.  
“Why are you sorry?”  
“I should’ve told you.” Daphne’s voice cracks as she speaks.  
“And I shouldn’t have told you?” Madame Touha bends down a little to meet Daphne’s gaze. “I knew how dangerous Peter is, yet I allowed him to stay. Do you know why?” Daphne looks up slightly, trying to hold back her tears. She shakes her head slightly. “Okay, so maybe it was partially because I had more younger boys join when word came out that Spider-Man knows ballet,” Madame Touha says nonchalantly as she waves one hand. “But they don’t know that Spider-Man goes here. I would’ve sent Peter away to another school if it weren’t for you.”

Daphne’s barely breathing at this point, listening to what Madame Touha is telling her.  
“Me…?”  
“I see how happy he makes you, Daph.” Madame Touha gives her an encouraging smile. “And after everything you’ve been through… The crap with David… You deserve someone as kind as him.” Madame Touha looks at Peter, who’s staring at the scene unfolding in front of him. He has no clue what to do, so he just stands there, breath hitched in his throat. Madame Touha winks at him and smiles. When she looks back at Daphne, she nods. “Someone who can protect you. Take care of you.” Daphne finally manages to smile back at the teacher she’s known for half her life. “And with him being Spider-Man… One little ballet performance is honestly the least of your worries.” She finally lets go of Daphne’s shoulders and they all feel like they can breathe again.

Sure, Madame Touha doesn’t know about the Zephyr stuff, but she is actually hitting the nail right on its head. With everything going on, the performance really is the last thing they should worry about. It puts it all in perspective, shutting down everything that’s troubling them. Daphne puts up a half smile and slightly shakes her head.  
“You’re right,” she mumbles. Daphne turns to Peter who suddenly has a determined look on his face. The corners of Daphne’s mouth curl up into a grin. This facial expression suits him more than she expected it to. She straightens her back, matching her determination with Peter’s. She cocks her head. “Wanna go again?” Peter smiles at her and nods once.  
“Let’s do this.”

…

A stranger walks into the dance hall, just when Daphne got changed into her Swanilda outfit. Peter, who already changed back into the outfit he wore to school today, eyes her warily. Daphne, however, perks up.  
“Alice?”  
“Hey, Daph!” She brings her hand up into a small wave and then pushes it through her half-long black hair. “Was hoping I’d find you here!” Alice nods to Madame Touha. “Madame,” she says with a cheeky smile. Peter decides to assess the situation by staying quiet, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the teen. Daphne glances at Peter and shakes her head quickly, realizing that Peter doesn’t know this girl and therefore sees her as a possible threat.  
“Peter, this is Alice. We used to be classmates when I was still in art school,” she says quickly. She raises her eyebrows when Peter doesn’t unclench his jaw. “She played violin at the Halloween party…?”  
“Right,” he mumbles. “Alice.”

Peter finally relaxes slightly when Alice addresses him.  
“Heard you started ballet this year and you’re already performing with Daphne this Sunday? Quite the feat.” She crosses arms. “Respect…”  
“Peter,” Peter says quickly.  
“Ah, yeah! Parker!” Alice smiles and Daphne’s eyebrows raise.  
“How’d you-“  
“You know Sarah and Tyrone, man. They talk.” Daphne laughs and nods.  
“They sure do.” There’s a short silence before Daphne breaks it. “Whatcha doing here?”  
“Ah, yeah, I uh…” Alice scratches her head again. “We’re not actually allowed to ask people who aren’t from art school to help us…” Daphne’s shoulders droop slightly, realizing that that was why she didn’t get any texts or calls from her previous classmates to help with the group performances. Alice raises one finger. “But…!” He pauses for dramatic effect. “Avery injured herself yesterday and I decided to officially pull a ‘fuck it’ and ask the best ballerina we ever had in our class.” 

Daphne snorts.  
“You’re overselling me,” she laughs. Alice turns her head slightly.  
“You’re underselling yourself.”  
“Is Avery okay, though?” Daphne asks worried. Alice waves her hands.  
“Yeah, yeah, she’ll be fine. Just needs some rest, so she can’t actually join the performance. But my act isn’t complete without a ballerina.”  
“And Avery was your first pick.”  
“I wasn’t allowed to ask you, Daph,” she whines. “You were always my first pick for acts, remember?” Daphne laughs as she brings up her hands in defense.  
“Right, right.” She cocks her head at her. “Is it a difficult piece?”  
“It’s one we’ve done together before, I figured I’d change my line-up to suit you, since this is so last minute.”  
“Gee, Alice, you gotta play what you want, not what I can dance to.”  
“Oh, no but I want to play this,” he smirks. “And if you’re dancing for me, I want to see your firebird again!”  
“Oh, nooo.” Daphne glances playfully at Alice, knowing which choreography she did with Alice that involves a Firebird. “Fairy tale?” Alice grins.  
“I’m back on my Eurovision bullshit, sorry, Daph,” she laughs. “I even got Malcolm for the vocals again, though, so it’s gonna be lit!” Daphne walks up to her and starts pushing her out the door.  
“Fine, I’ll help you. Got time to go through it tomorrow?” Alice lets herself get pushed out the door as she nods.  
“Yeah, I’ll text you.”  
“Great,” she says with a smile as she lets go of Alice.  
“Now, I gotta practice my solo, so if you don’t mind…” She uses her head to gesture at the door.  
“Aight, aight, I’m leaving!” Alice turns around one more time and jumps giddily. “Eee! I can’t believe we’re performing together agaiiiin!” Daphne smiles brightly. Fuck, she’s excited for this performance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARE YALL READY FOR THE CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCE?


	82. Backstage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moments (right) before the performance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyyy!

“Daph,” Peter whispers. Daphne spent her Saturday rehearsing with Alice and Peter used his time to blow off some steam on patrol. At eleven o’clock, he swung by Daphne’s apartment and they ended up in her bed, dozing off to sleep while holding each other. Daphne’s in Peter’s arms, hiding her face in his chest.  
“Mm?”  
“You awake?” he asks quietly.  
“Mm.” She shuffles closer towards him, angling her head the other way and letting her hand roam his back. Peter’s fingers find their way into her hair and he starts playing with it absentmindedly.  
“Are you nervous for tomorrow?” he asks, gauging if his own nerves are justified.  
“I try not to think about it too much,” she mumbles back.  
“So, you’re really okay with being in front of hundreds of people tomorrow?” Daphne chuckles at his question. Her thumb rubs lazy circles on his lower back. He’s tense, she can tell.  
“As long as I dance, yeah.”

They stay quiet for a bit until Daphne decides to counter his question with one of her own.  
“You’re more confident as Spider-Man than as Peter Parker, right?” Peter bites the inside of his cheek, but nods slowly.  
“The mask hides everything. I’m whoever I want people to think I am.” Daphne chuckles.  
“Gotta work on your acting then, Spider-Guy.”  
“In theory, meanie.” He nudges her softly and she can’t help but laugh.  
“Well, I’m more confident when I dance than when I’m… just Daphne.” Peter presses a kiss on top of her head.  
“You’re never _just_ Daphne,” he mumbles into her hair.  
“Oh, you’re such a fucking flirt,” she snorts as she looks up at him.  
“Only for you,” he says with a smile. She moves in to kiss him tenderly. His hold on her tightens slightly and she sighs against him when they break.  
“You’ll be fine, Pete,” she whispers into him. “It’ll just be us on stage. Pretend no one else is there. Just us…” Peter closes his eyes as he breathes her in and he nods slightly.  
“I think I can do that.”  
“Think or know?” She asks cheekily, half referencing him asking her about whether or not she understood oscillation when they studied for the Midtown Tech application tests. Peter opens his eyes to look straight into hers. His hand creeps up to her face to caress her cheek and the corners of his mouth curl up.  
“I know.”

...

Peter found out that when you take away the science students on Stark’s list, Daphne’s not on spot nineteen, but on spot nine and with some higher performers not being there, she got up to spot five. The list is screwed up now anyways, with David no longer being part of it. However, no one moves up or down the list. There’s simply a hole. The board will shuffle around performers at the end of the school year, when the new list is created. The change in spots has quite the effect on how everything's set up for them when they arrive at the theater. Daphne was surprised to hear she's one of the few performers with a dressing room for herself. They don't understand who arranged for them to be in the separate room, but they gratefully take the key.

Peter never expected everything backstage to be so vibrant and busy and crowded and rushed. Sure, he knew there would be about forty performers, as that’s how many SASS students have signed up for this performance, but he didn’t think being back there would overwhelm his senses as much as it actually did. Vocalists are warming up their voices by singing scales or belting sounds, dancers are stretching and poets recite difficult pieces to work on their diction. There are kids running and shouting and every dressing room plays different music. The musicians are preparing their instruments by playing bi-tonal and none of them play the same notes. The noises clash in an uncomfortable mix. It smells particularly strong in certain dressing rooms as well and Peter can practically feel which performers are nervous, which only affects his mood for the worse.

Peter drops himself into a big chair as he covers his ears and closes his eyes. Daphne shuts the door and looks at him worried.  
“Are you okay?” She asks as she places down her bags with costumes. Peter slightly shakes his head and takes a deep breath.  
“I mean, I will be, I just… This place is a little overwhelming… I gotta adjust.” Daphne’s face twitches when a few younger kids on the list shriek when they run past the closed door of Daphne’s dressing room.  
“Yeah, I can imagine.” She pushes her tongue against her teeth and takes a glance at the paper on the vanity. It has the order of the performances printed on it and she moves to pick it up. She makes her way to Peter and squats in front of him. “Can I touch you?” she asks quietly. Peter nods once, but it looked more like a jolt than an actual nod. Daphne carefully places her hand on his knee and squeezes softly. Her touch relaxes him instantly.

“We’re up in the first half,” she says reassuringly. “When we’re done you can take a shower and go join Mr. Stark in the audience.”  
“But what about you?” he mumbles into his hands.  
“I’ll be fine. Backstage is my second home, remember?” She smiles at him, but he can’t see it, as he’s still hiding his face. “My other two performances are in the second half. I’ll live.” Peter spreads his fingers so he can look through them.  
“Are you sure?” Daphne nods.  
“Are you gonna text Mr. Stark to save you a seat, or should I?”

…

The curtains are still closed, so Daphne and Peter take the opportunity to get a feel of the stage. Most of the performers get a few minutes to figure out where they should be on stage, so they need to be quick. Daphne’s already in her pointes. She warmed up right before they went on.  
“You good?” Daphne asks as she turns to Peter, who shuffles behind her.  
“Once this is over, yes,” he half jokes. Peter kicks into the floor softly, feeling the PVC under his ballet flats. Daphne finds her way back to Peter and holds his face in her hands, quietly forcing him to look into her eyes.  
“You got this. I believe in you.” She smiles at him. “Just us?” Peter nods as his hands find her waist above the white, sparkling tutu.  
“Just us.”

…

Peter peeks through the side curtains. People start filling up the seats in the large theater. He stares ahead, waiting to see a familiar face. He shouldn’t be doing this, he knows. The entire board will be there. _Mr. Stark_ will be there. If he screws up the performance, he’s never going to live it down. Peter blinks a few times and realizes he was staring straight at a beautiful woman, sitting in the middle of the theater. A mischievous grin spreads across her face when Peter makes actual eye contact with her. He’s stuck looking at her for a little bit. Her bright blue eyes pierce through him and her long black hair is curled into an up-do. Something about her is familiar. Somehow… 

“Kid!” A voice shouts from above. Peter’s broken out of his train of thoughts and he blushes a bright red when he realizes he unashamedly just stared at a stranger for way too long. He turns to look up and spots Tony in one of the balcony seats. He scoffs quietly. Of course, Tony wouldn’t sit in the main audience. Peter’s eyebrows go up to his hairline when he spots more Avengers with his mentor. Natasha, which wasn’t really a surprise, rolls her shoulders as she sits down next to Tony. Steve and Bucky are there too, as is Bruce. Tony nonchalantly waves at him with a wide smile and Peter glows an even brighter red.  
“Eh, hi!” His teenage voice cracks dramatically and Peter wishes he could just disappear.  
“Break a leg, son,” Steve jokes. Peter laughs nervously and waves as he slowly creeps backwards into the curtains.  
“Thanks!”

…

The presenter opens the performance afternoon with some quick-witted comedy and announces every SASS student before they go on. Peter decides to not look at any of the other dance routines. His nerves are already through the roof. Watching other people be infinitely better at something he’s going to have to do on that same stage won’t be good for him.

Daphne is joking around with some of her old classmates and Peter can’t help but feel a little left out. He does enjoy seeing her so carefree around others. How she muffles her laughter to make sure no one in the audience can hear her. The sparkle in her eyes when they crack another inside joke. She’s been rather distant at Midtown Tech the past week and Peter has to admit that she does really fit in better with the art kids here than with the science nerds at Midtown.

The announcer presents the performance that’s before Daphne’s and Peter’s. Daphne turns around and wiggles her eyebrows.  
“Ready?” She whispers with an excited smile. Grabbing his lower arms and stepping closer towards him.  
“No. You?”  
“Always.” She bites her lip and glances at the stage. “Though, I am feeling a little tingly now.”  
“Oh?” he scoffs with a smile. “Like I’ve been since Friday?”  
“Channel those nerves,” she says encouragingly, wincing slightly at her use of the word ‘channel’. She doesn’t want to think about all that crap right now, so she decides to not dive into that any further. “Use the tingle, Pete.” Peter has to repress a snort and presses his forehead against hers. They close their eyes and breathe together. He focuses on her heartbeat, letting it calm him down.

“Daphne Birch and Peter Parker?” The floor manager asks quietly. She guides them to where they are going to enter the stage.  
“Remember the walk-on?” Daphne whispers. Peter’s hands instinctively find their way to where they have to go. He’s standing behind her, but a little to her right side. Her right hand rests in his, their arms extended in a nice curve. Her left arm is in first position. Peter’s left hand rests on her waist and he squeezes gently, making Daphne smile. She angles her head back to press a kiss on his cheek.  
“Here we go,” he breathes when the poet before them finishes their recital.  
“In six minutes, you’re done,” she says softly as she looks forward again. “Enjoy it.” Peter nods once and breathes in her neck. The nerves bounce through his body as the presenter announces them.  
“Just us?” he asks. Daphne straightens her back, puts on her stage smile and squeezes their right hands.  
“Just us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guess how many sorcerers are in the audience? Spoiler: more than one. 👀


	83. The Sugar Plum Fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Daphne perform the pas de deux of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Afterwards, he helps her change into her next costume.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Christmas performance is h e e e e e e r e. If you want to read along, this is the choreography I referenced for their pas de deux!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy6dlGpC3Ns

It’s dead quiet as they walk on stage. Peter smiles, but he’s painfully aware of how un-genuine it must look. He dreads the moment he has to let go of Daphne to walk to his first position. The only thing that breaks the silence is Daphne’s points tapping the floor with every step they take. He brings her to where she has to go and lingers slightly before he lets go of her. She goes against what Madame Touha told her to do by turning her head to look at Peter to give him an encouraging nod and a bright smile. He lets out a breath as he walks to his own position and smiles back at her, trying to focus on just her. The harp starts playing and they initiate the choreography.

The Sugar Plum Fairy is graceful, delicate and frail. Daphne’s smooth lines and musicality make her feel like she’s an actual fairy in Peter’s hands as he guides her through. It takes a few counts, but Peter does seem to forget there are other people in the room with them. The positive energy Daphne radiates and the fact that she is absolutely breath taking, ensure he gets lost in the moment. The stage, the lights, the thrill… Peter almost couldn’t believe it. He was enjoying this. More than he ever imagined he would.

It's time for the first lifts, the pas de chats. They both prepare in the back corner and Peter grabs her waist, easily bringing her above his head. When he gently puts her back down again, she moves to prepare for her turns. _Three._ Peter reminds himself. She’s has to turn three times. Peter guides her through her turns and they repeat the step. Pas de chat lift and three turns. Once more... And… Five turns this time. Nailed it.

They’re at the shoulder sit. The music climaxes as Daphne elegantly lands on his shoulder. He swiftly brings her down into the fish dive and places her on the ground safely in an arabesque. She hops, switching her legs and turning to Peter again for the second shoulder sit. He catches her again and they repeat the action. As the choreography continues, he can’t help but look at her in awe. She’s doing all of this without super powers. It’s just her, leaping and turning and balancing. Sure, he’s there to help, but most of these things she can do without his help, save for the lifts. She’s beautiful and mind blowing and… He really wants to tell her he loves her.

When they finally get to the last lift, he can feel her shaking muscles under his touch. She’s been giving it her all and her stamina is finally starting to give way. He’s amazed at her discipline and her willpower to keep going regardless of the exhaustion. She rolls onto his shoulder and elegantly moves her arms up and down, as if she's flying, all while keeping her legs up as well. Her legs and upper body are completely rigid as he brings her back to the floor, while her arms are still the epitome of grace and her face still carries her genuine smile. She must be so happy to be back on stage again.

She bourrées around him, doing a few more turns before her balance in attitude. The music shifts as she hops to the front of the stage, Peter following right behind her. She gets en relevé, bringing one hand above her head. Peter holds both of her hands as they do a promenade while she quickly moves her foot. After a full rotation, she slowly brings her leg up, stretches it out into an attitude and he guides her to turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, _arabesque_\- right on the perfect moment in the music! She closes her eyes for a second, revelling in the impeccable piece the live orchestra is playing, and the pas de deux, knowing it’s nearing its end. 

Peter holds her waist as she moves down into a penché, her arms moving in tune with the music. She slowly comes back up, knowing she’s going to have to balance by herself soon. Peter feels her tense up even more and smiles. She’s got this. He lets go of her to strike his pose and let her balance. He quickly moves to take a step back and gesture at Daphne for the second pause. He takes a step back in and bends down in a plié, stretching his arm out for Daphne to take. She turns into him and brings her leg up in a high arabesque before turning once more and pressing her back against Peter’s chest, so he can bend slightly forward and they can strike their final pose as the music ends.

The crowd erupts into applause and cheers and Peter brings Daphne back up, so she can stand on her feet. They’re both panting for air, but Peter will never forget the smile she gave him that day. The brightest, widest, love-filled smile he’s ever seen. Peter nods at the audience with a cheeky grin, while still looking at her, and Daphne realizes she has to do her bows before she can actually hug her boyfriend. He holds her hand as he guides her to the front of the stage and lets go of her just before she bends down into a deep bow, one hand resting on her chest. When she comes back up, she looks behind her, at Peter. She raises her arm to gesture at him and he raises his eyebrows, nodding awkwardly at the audience. Peter quickly moves to hold Daphne again the way he did when they walked on and he guides her off stage.

Daphne’s old classmates are jumping for joy when the couple walks off stage. The class herds them through the doors so they can cheer without disturbing the audience, who are already watching the next performance.  
“Three months!” Sarah yelps. “This guy learned to do a pas de deux in THREE MONTHS!” Blood rushes to Peter’s cheeks and Daphne smiles wide at him as she pulls his side against hers. She leans her head on his shoulder and raises her eyebrows.  
“This guy is my hero,” she says joyfully. Peter’s heart skips a beat and he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He feels like a puppy. “Wouldn’t know what I’d do without him.”  
“Sappyyy,” Tyrone butts in. He pushes through the small crowd of art students and places his hands on his hips. Daphne sticks out her tongue and starts pushing Peter to the dressing room.  
“You’re sappy too, Ty, don’t pretend you’re not.”  
“Well, if you wanna go full sap, why don’t you give your hero a kiss?” Malcolm jokes. Peter nearly chokes on thin air at the question, but Daphne simply cocks an eyebrow and turns to face Peter.

She holds his face in her hands and presses her lips against his. She slightly opens her mouth to breathe against him and she flutters her eyes as she pulls back. Peter stares at her, bewildered. Did they really just do this in front of everyone? The class cheers and Daphne smiles triumphantly. Peter can’t take his eyes off her. Now he _really_ wants to tell her he loves her. So, so much.

…

Daphne quickly closes the dressing room door behind them and turns back to Peter. She rushes towards him and embraces him tightly. He hugs her back, pressing his cheek on top of her head.  
“Thank you so much for this, Peter,” she whispers.  
“Anything for you, Dove…” One of his hands rests on her lower back. She’s drenched in sweat, but he doesn’t care. He pushes her away from him so he can look her in the eye. Her mouth is half opened and his gaze flicks between her eyes and her lips. “I…” he starts, not sure how to form a sentence with everything that’s going on in his head right now.  
“…Yeah?” She whispers, her hand caresses his arm. Peter blinks a few times and recollects himself.  
“Do you need a hand getting out of the costume?” Daphne takes a small step back and nods. She expected him to say something else, but she wasn’t exactly sure what.

Peter’s hands tickle her skin. He’s frustratingly gentle with her as he unhooks the bodice. She holds onto it as he unhooks the last bit and it falls open, exposing her bare, scarred back. Daphne watches his every move in the mirror opposite them. Peter’s eyes follow the lines that seem like they were drawn on her body and he takes a breath, stepping closer to her to push the tutu down her waist. When it goes past her hips, it gently drops to the floor and Daphne steps out of it. Peter moves to grab her second costume from the clothing rack and he swiftly takes it off the hanger. It’s a short-sleeved dress with a corset attached to it. He goes down on his knees so she can step into it and pulls at it as he stands up, to get it over her hips. 

Daphne takes a breath and wiggles out of the bodice, completely exposing her upper body to the colder air in the dressing room. Peter looks at his feet, his face flushed. He’s never seen her naked before and isn’t sure if he wants to see her naked just yet. She’d presented her bare back when she first showed Peter her scar, and when he helped her study, she was wearing a very small towel, which didn’t leave much to the imagination. Sure, Peter has his needs, but he wasn’t going to force all that onto Daphne. His fear of losing control of his strength was enough to keep him from advancing. Hurting her is the absolute last thing he wants.

Daphne tosses the bodice onto the vanity and puts on the dress Peter’s still holding onto, covering herself up. He closes it carefully. Since this costume doesn’t have a pancake tutu, he can press himself against her more easily and his hands creep around her waist. Peter still doesn't understand how she has this effect on him. It's like she put a spell on him, like she actually is the Sugar Plum Fairy... He hums softly and she closes her eyes as he breathes in her hair, pressing soft kisses on her neck and behind her ear.  
“I love you so much,” he whispers, making goose bumps spread over her entire body. She sighs and leans against him.  
“I love you too…” They stay there for a minute before Daphne turns around to him and looks up to meet his gaze. “Want me to help you get out of your costume?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> QUESTION: if I were to send them on holiday somewhere for, hmm, I dunno, Valentine's Day, maybe? Would you like them to go to the warm beach or to the snowy mountains?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! <3


	84. Swanilda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter joins the audience to watch Daphne perform in the second half of the afternoon performances. The one who made her is also watching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taking a little longer for these chapters, I hope you don't mind! <3
> 
> I'm taking your suggestions from my question in the last chapter into consideration! Thank you to everyone who replied! <3 I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> The Swanilda performance I referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNzB5JnD9Wo

Daphne tucks a strand of Peter’s hair behind his ear and smiles at him.  
“You look really good in a suit.” Peter had taken an incredibly quick shower and just as he got dressed, the intermission started. Daphne fixed his tie and let her hand linger on his chest. His hand creeps up to grab hers in his own and he rubs slow circles on it with his thumb.  
“I… don’t really like wearing suits,” he admits. “Reminds me of funerals.” Daphne nods, understanding what he means with that.  
“Sorry,” she mumbles. He raises her hand to his lips and kisses it gently.  
“No reason for you to be sorry.” He closes his eyes and sighs quietly. “Just gotta wear a suit more often, I guess… Maybe that’ll change how I feel about them.”

Daphne’s free hand finds its way up to cup his cheek.  
“I’ll give you all the positive reasons to wear a suit,” she says quietly. Peter stares at her and blinks a few times. Daphne’s eyes go wide and she lets go of him, stepping backwards, scrambling to collect herself, as she realizes how her words could be interpreted. “I- I didn’t mean it like that, fuck, we only met a few months ago, I’m not thinking about marriage!” She hides her face in her hands and she hears Peter’s laugh echoing through the dressing room. She feels him moving closer to her and his hands remove hers from her face. She’s red as a tomato and looks at her feet. Peter bends his knees slightly and cocks his head, trying to get her to look at him.

“What other positive reasons are there to wear a suit?” he asks with a mischievous smile. Daphne scoffs and still doesn’t look at him.  
“My performances,” she replies shyly. He chuckles as he pulls her closer to him with a slight tug at her hands. “Can’t wear sweats to a theater, Pete” she says with a slight smile.  
“When you’re with a big ballet company, I’ll come watch all of your performances, Dove,” he mutters. “In a suit.” It’s Daphne’s turn to laugh.  
“You’d get fed up with seeing the same performance every night.”  
“Not if you’re in it.” He wiggles his eyebrows, making Daphne snort as she embraces him.  
“Kiss ass,” she says quickly, grinning. She pushes herself away from him and cheekily steps up on her pointes, bringing her to equal height with Peter. She presses a quick peck on his lips. “Let’s get you to your seat.”

…

“There he iiiis!” May prances towards Peter with a wide smile on her face. “That’s my nephew!” She points at Peter as he approaches her awkwardly in the foyer. He scratches the back of his head, obviously embarrassed at his aunt’s remark. May jumps in to hug him and she can’t contain her excitement.  
“Hi, May,” he laughs, glancing at the door that leads backstage. May pushes Peter away from her and squeezes his shoulders.  
“You looked absolutely stunning on stage! Daphne looked like she was floating! Gaaah, I’m so proud!” May jogs in place, her fancy gown sparkling with every move she makes.

“Hey, kid.” Peter freezes when he hears the voice of his mentor right behind him. He slowly turns around with a sheepish look on his face. Tony looks like one would expect. Expensive; a tailored suit, Italian shoes, Rolex on his wrist. The whole shebang. He even smells expensive.  
“Mr. Stark! Hi!” He straightens his back and swallows. All eyes in the foyer are suddenly on them, the rumbling of voices speaking softly dies down. Tony Stark is talking to his protege and everyone wants to hear it. It’s common news that Peter interns for Tony’s company, but this is the first time they’re in the same place in public. Tony smiles with his lips pressed on top of each other, one corner of his mouth curling all the way up. He wiggles his eyebrows once and nods, cocking his head.  
“Good job, Peter.”  
“Thanks, Mr. Stark,” Peter says with a shy nod. Tony notices Peter’s discomfort and turns to the other people in the foyer.  
“Weren’t you having conversations of your own?” he asks sassily, cocking one eyebrow. The well-dressed crowd hastily turns back to their own groups, the white noise of voices continuing again. Tony takes a step forward to stand next to Peter, so May is included again. His hand rests on Peter’s shoulder.  
“Mrs. Parker, I couldn’t find you before the performance,” Tony courts. May defensively raises her hands in front of her and laughs.  
“I may or may not have run a little late.”

Tony pats Peter’s shoulder.  
“Well, we still got a few seats left upstairs, why don’t you join us?”  
“Join… you?” May can barely believe what he’s saying.  
“Yeah, got part of the crew upstairs and I promised I’d save the kid a seat. I’m not letting you sit by yourself.” Tony smiles. “Unless you want to sit with Pepper, she’s downstairs with the scholarship board.” May looks at him suspiciously.  
“’Part of the crew’?” she quotes.  
“Yeah, Bruce, Tascha, Steve, yada yada.” May’s never met any of the other Avengers personally before, so her heart practically stops beating when Tony says that.  
“Sure! I’ll join you!” she blurts out. Peter has to hold in his laugh and Tony raises his eyebrows at his protege.  
“Alright, let’s get going then.” Tony turns to walk towards the balcony seats and glances back when Peter and May follow him. “Oh, and please don’t embarrass me in front of them,” he jokes. “I have a reputation to upkeep.” 

…

May shifts in her seat, obviously nervous about sitting next to Captain America. The living legend. She tries to keep her cool, but fails, which results in her talking. A lot. Peter looks at the situation amused. Tony did this on purpose. He knows May gets talkative when she’s nervous. It’s a tick Peter seemed to have taken over from her as she raised him. Tony likes to mess around with Steve sometimes and this is very blatantly a test of his patience, based on the discussion Steve and Tony had earlier.

_“You’re too polite, don’t you ever just want to tell someone to shut up?”_  
_“Shut up.”_  
_“Hey, that doesn’t count!”_

To Tony’s dismay, Steve actually seems to enjoy May’s company and engages in conversation with her. Peter glances at Tony and raises his eyebrows accusingly. It’s times like these where Peter’s reminded of how manipulative Tony can be if he wants to.  
“What?” Tony whispers as he leans in towards Peter. Tony knows Peter’s aware of what he’s doing, so he decides not to play dumb. “I did genuinely want her to sit with you, I’m just seizing the opportunity.”  
“Sure are,” Peter scoffs. “Didn’t you invite Derek up here?”  
“I did, actually,” Tony says with a triumphant smile. “He didn’t really want people to know he knows us for privacy reasons, which is fair.” Peter nods and leans forward to hang on the edge of the balcony.

People are finding back their seats after the intermission. The second half should be starting soon. Peter can’t wait to actually see Daphne on stage, performing. He’s seen her dance so much already, but he knows it’ll be different now. Peter’s curiosity gets the better of him as he searches the crowd for the black-haired lady, he had eye contact with before the show. She shouldn’t be hard to find, right? She stood out quite a bit.

It indeed didn’t take long for Peter to spot her in the crowd. She’s already back in her seat, sitting with her legs crossed and her hands resting on her thigh. She’s waiting patiently and Peter can’t help but stare again. She’s beautiful and she carries herself like she knows she is. There’s something regal about her. Like she’s actually royalty. Something about her feels off, but he can’t place it. Peter jolts slightly when she turns her head to look him straight in the eyes, blinking slowly. She smiles wide again, just like she did before the performance, and shakes her head as she looks back forward. Could she feel him staring at her? Before Peter can think more about it, the lights in the theater dim and the curtains open. The audience applauds as the presenter comes back on stage to announce the next performer.

…

“Next up: Daphne Birch, performing a Swanilda Variation.” The presenter walks off stage, obviously getting bored and wanting to get his job over with. Peter’s stomach tightens and he leans forward again, his eyes glued to the stage. He grins when he hears the tapping of her pointe shoes on the floor. Daphne elegantly makes her way onto the stage, a beaming smile on her face, immediately brightening up the entire room. She prepares in the back corner and waits for the music to start.

…

Loki thought he knew all there was to know about Daphne, based on their conversations. Yet, on stage, she seemed like an entirely different person. Where she was clumsy before, she was balanced and disciplined now. Her sassy attitude swiftly turned into a feather-like grace. She was pretty before, but she looks absolutely beautiful now. Loki stares astonished at the speed at which she turns. How her head flicks around as she spots. The heights that she leaps. The precise control she has over her body and her movement, all while standing on top of those torture devices she calls pointe shoes... Her smile carries her across the stage and Loki can’t help but smile along.

Even though she’s not his own blood, he feels a pride that warms his chest. Like a father just having taught his child to ride a horse or a brother, watching his little sister kick the butts of a small group of bullies. With every little bit he gets to know about her, the need to protect her grows stronger and the will to kill Somm intensifies. Loki quickly glances up at the balcony where a few of the Avengers are seated. And the boy, Peter, who kept staring at him, knowing something wasn’t completely right about him. Or her, actually. Lady Loki smirks as she looks back at the stage, thinking about the little test she had prepared for the Avengers tonight. 

Daphne’s in the middle of the stage, travelling forward by showing off her incredible flexibility and managing to turn three times in one go. What was this one called again? A pirouette? Daphne had mentioned to Loki that she was practicing her turns because they weren’t all that great and she needs to show off to the board. Her previous performance involved a lot of leaping, which she mentioned, is her strong suit. Loki remembered how he was quite surprised with how she leaped over the couch so gracefully and easily when she ran from him in her childhood home. Now, however, he’s surprised by the fact that she thinks her turns are weak. She really must’ve trained hard to show the board what she’s capable of.

Loki’s mouth opens slightly in amazement as she turns and turns and turns and turns, travelling in a circle over the stage. The music nears its climax and whenever Loki thinks she’s done turning, she adds a few more. She raises one arm with a beaming smile as she takes her final pose and Loki is the first one in the entire audience to stand up, applauding Daphne for her marvelous performance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more performance and then some... stuff... is......... going.. to happen..... 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀


	85. Spot Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne's final performance of the afternoon! The Art Class's plan is set in motion!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit longer than usual! Lots of monologues lol. Those are hard to write, whoops. I've already started on the next chapter and boi, it's gonna be so good.

“And for the last performance of the night…” Peter’s at the edge of his chair again. His attention had kind of shifted away from the stage for a while as there were so many performances that it made his brain kind of numb. But he knows Daphne has to dance one more time. And if this is the last performance, it has to be Daphne on stage next.

The presenter announces Alice, the violinist, and all the other band members. The group consists of Daphne’s old classmates. Malcolm, a very handsome, black haired guy saunters onto the stage. The members of the small band places all their instruments in the front corner of the stage. The only other classmate Peter recognizes is Caleb, who was DJ’ing at the Halloween party. He’s sat behind a drum kit that got pushed onto the stage in its entirety.

Alice tip toes to Malcolm’s mic, which is on a stand. She brings her lips close to it and speaks softly.  
“Avery, we all love you very much, hope you get to dance with us again soon,” she speaks quickly. “I may not have told any of the higher ups about this to keep it a surprise, but we managed to get another dancer for this piece.” She clears her throat, obviously nervous about admitting she went against the rules. “Didn’t take long to convince her, as she’s the one who originally created this choreography and has danced to it before.” Alice’s eyes dart to the back of the stage and a smile spreads across her face. “Daphne Birch, thank you for helping me out with this, you’re a bean.”  
“I gotchu, boo!” The audience chuckles at Daphne’s yelled, yet muffled response from backstage. Alice has a playful look in her eye as she turns back to the mic.  
“This is Fairy Tale.”

The band prepares their instruments and Alice brings her violin up to her chin. She bobs her head to a count and mouths:  
“Three, four…” The bow lands on the violin and the cheery, nearly Celtic sound fills the room as she plays by herself for the first two eight-counts. When the bass and drums join in, Daphne skips onto the stage. Her hair is now in a half updo and she’s wearing a flowy peasant-style ballet dress. A little similar to what she wore as Swanilda, yet somehow very different. She looks like a fairy. When she turns her face just right, something in her hair catches the stage light and reflects straight into Peter’s face. He squints, trying to look closer and he grins when he realizes she’s wearing the golden dove pin he gave her.

Most of the lyrics of the song don’t really appeal to Peter, and he can’t help but get slightly jealous when Daphne interacts with the handsome singer, who is obviously flirting with her. He doesn’t care if it’s staged, it’s making him bite the inside of his cheek with frustration. However, when she moves away from the singer, a bright smile spreads across her face. Peter can feel her intense and sincere happiness to be on stage all the way from where he’s sitting. He’s in awe. The way she moves across the stage... It’s enchanting. Like a fairy tale.

_I’m in love with a fairy tale,  
even though it hurts.  
But I don’t care, if I lose my mind.  
I’m already cursed._

“Her leaps are phenomenal,” Natascha says quietly. She’d mentioned that Daphne’s turns were alright earlier, and Natascha had been commenting on every ballet performance throughout the evening. She was, generally, harsh about what the people on stage were doing and with her ballet past she sure knows what she’s talking about. To hear such a genuine sounding compliment about Daphne’s dancing caught everyone off guard and made all the other Avengers and May pay even more attention to the girl gliding across the stage on her pointes.

Daphne’s stamina is reaching its end. She’s exhausted, but she knows she has a few more counts to go. Smile, tense, relax, smile, smile, smile, jump, turn, foot-foot-foot-foot! The moment she dreads the most is nearing. Italian fouettés. Why she ever thought it was a good idea to sprinkle a few of those into the choreography is beyond her. She hops to the middle of the stage and prepares. _Smile!_

When the fouettés are done she triumphantly leaps out of it. She finally completely lets go and just enjoys the dancing and immerses herself in the music. She loves this part. Knowing all eyes are on her, yet she does not care a single bit. She’s got this. She knows what she’s doing. She owns the stage. This is where she belongs. This is where she feels at home.

She knows Loki is in the audience, she can feel him. He’s here. Luckily for him, there’s a Firebird in this choreography, so he’ll get to see that in action. Daphne travels across the stage in low pas de chats, slowly bringing her arms up above her head. Almost there… A quick double pirouette before she swiftly leaps straight up, arms back, head and back arched. _Firebird._ Possibly her favourite leap ever and she gets to show it off to everyone. She lands and confidently moves to the front of the stage again as the music reaches its climax. For the final pose, she joins the band and stands next to Malcolm. She raises one hand and the music ends abruptly. 

Daphne’s panting like crazy. She always forgets how intense this choreography actually is. Before she even gets the chance to turn to Alice, the small violinist jumps on top of her in a hug. Malcolm smugly takes a step back while Alice jumps repeatedly with Daphne in her arms, making Daphne jump along as they laugh.  
“Thank you so much, aah!” Alice looks at Daphne when she lets go of her. There’s a spark in Alice’s eyes, which makes Daphne cock one eyebrow. Daphne knows that look. Alice is up to something.

Alice moves to take Malcolm’s mic from the stand and smiles.  
“Alright, so if all New York Art Class students could come on stage for me, that’d be great.” She beckons her classmates from backstage and they all make their way on. The presenter walks on too, confused at what Alice is doing.  
“You can’t-“  
“Sorry, sir, but this is something we gotta do, kay-thanks-bye!” Alice says quickly as she waves the presenter off stage again. He simply shakes his head and walks off, mumbling something about ‘not getting paid enough to deal with this crap.’

Daphne watches as all the Art Class students walk on stage. She realizes she’s no longer one of them, so she turns to walk off on the other side of the stage. When she’s almost behind the curtains, Sarah’s voice echoes through the theater.  
“Daphne, where do you think you’re going?” Daphne freezes, on stage. This is the kind of stage presence she’d rather… not have. All eyes on her. But there’s no music. She’s not dancing. She turns slowly, back to the crowd of classmates. Alice had given the mic to Sarah who grins wide at Daphne. Daphne chuckles nervously and points towards the backstage area.  
“You said Art Class students, so I thought-“ Daphne gets interrupted by Sarah replicating a buzzer sound with her voice.  
“Wrong thought, get your ass over here.” Daphne purses her lips and shuffles back to the class, who are now gathered like a group of penguins on stage.

“You see-“ Sarah turns to the audience, cocking her head. “Daphne here, took a gigantic bullet, like- seriously, a cannon ball- for all of us by exposing the fraud who also happened to be our principal. Everything’s been a bit bumpy since then, but I just want you all to know that the very last act our former principal did, was permanently expel Daphne from New York Art High.”  
“Sarah-“ Sarah raises one finger to shut Daphne up.  
“In order for Daphne to keep the Stark Arts and Sciences Scholarship, she had to apply to Midtown Tech. Aka science nerd school.” Sarah sighs. “She managed to get in, which is an incredibly feat in and of itself.”

The Art Class cheers quietly for Daphne’s accomplishment. Daphne wants to sink into the floor. Why is this so embarrassing? Why are they doing this?  
“Now!” Sarah shouts, quieting down the class. “We happen to know that both the board the guy who funds all of us are in the room. Yes, Mr. Stark, we’ve seen you!” Now Daphne _really_ wants to disappear. She’s heavily considering jumping into the orchestra pit. “And we, all of Art Class, are here on stage to urge Mr. Money Man to get Daphne back into Art Class!” Daphne’s ready to combust. Sarah really just called Tony ‘Mr. Money Man.’  
“Please, you don’t-“

“How’ve your grades been, Daph?” Sarah purses her lips at Daphne, whose eyes grow wide. She really hasn’t been doing all too great at school. And not just because of all the shit she’s been through the past few weeks. Sarah’s right. “The science classes are at a way higher level in nerd school, cause that’s the level they perform at. You, Daph, perform on stage. No goggles or lab coats, but pointe shoes and buns.” Sarah turns back to the audience and gestures to Daphne. “You all saw how much she enjoys it right? And how _good_ she’s at it? All this talent is getting wasted on stress for subjects she never wants to pursue a career in!”

The class agrees with another cheer and Sarah puts her free hand on her hip.  
“So…!” Sarah waits for the class to go quiet again. “We want Daphne back in Art Class, so she can be where she truly belongs: on stage!” Sarah gives Daphne a smug look and brings the mic back to her mouth. “What’s your opinion on this, Daph?” Sarah stretches her arm towards Daphne. Daphne stares at the mic in front of her and hesitantly takes it. She looks around the silhouettes of the audience. They’re pretty much just black shapes. She clutches the microphone with both hands and slowly brings it up to her mouth. She takes a second to breathe before she softly says:  
“I agree.”

The entire Art Class goes wild. Her classmates jump around the stage and on top of Daphne, making her laugh as she nearly drops the microphone. Sarah urges everyone away from Daphne, so she can continue talking. Her voice is quiet. Shy.  
“I… I know there are a lot of reasons why it’s probably better for me to stay at Midtown Tech.” She’s mostly referencing something pretty much no one in the theater knows about: protection. Midtown Tech means she has Peter around her at all times. Peter’s Spider-Man, therefore he can protect her should anyone come over to earth to take her. He’s literally her first line of defense. Stark also has better ties with Midtown Tech than Art High. It makes more sense for him to show up there than at Art School. He could keep a better eye on her there.

“But I’m… Unhappy, to say the least,” she scoffs with a smile. “I used to be on a stage like this on an almost weekly basis.” She looks at the floor and at her vague reflection in it. “This is the first time in months that I’ve been on a stage.” She swallows. “My curriculum used to contain separate classes for singing, dancing, painting… Now I just have ‘Art Class’ and all we do is sketch still life fruit bowls.” Daphne looks down at her feet, ashamed. “I’m… I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I’ve been given by principal Morita and Midtown is an amazing school with amazing people. But it’s a science school. Not an art school.”

Daphne looks back up and scans the audience, hoping to see someone she knows, so she can focus on them, but she doesn’t have super sight, so it’s impossible to distinguish the people.  
“So, Mr. Stark…” Daphne pauses, taking a breath, barely believing the words she’s going to say next. She closes her eyes for a second. “If you… would maybe forgive me…” She opens her eyes and presses her lips on top of each other, staring into the crowd. “For calling you an asshole. To the face. On multiple occasions. And please give me a chance to go back to Art School… That’d be the best Christmas gift I could get.”

It’s dead silent in the theater. Daphne can feel all eyes on her. Sarah steps towards her with wide eyes.  
“You called Tony Stark an asshole? To the face?” She asks loud enough for the mic to pick it up. Daphne glances at Sarah and nods quickly. Another silence falls before Tyrone steps forward and puts his arm around Daphne’s shoulder, leaning over her to speak into the mic.  
“Don’t worry, Mr. Stark, she calls me asshole too, but she still likes me.”  
“Ty!” Daphne laughs as she pushes him off.  
“What? It’s true! Don’t deny it, Dee!” He pokes her in the side and she bends over laughing as the entire class erupts into cheers again.  
“Bring back Dee! Bring back Dee!” They all chant as they jump around the stage, not caring that they’re practically holding the entire audience hostage.

“Alright! Alright!” A voice suddenly shouts from the audience. It’s a little higher up, so all attention goes to the balcony. Daphne recognized the voice immediately. It’s Tony. “Give me a minute!” Not much later, the class cheers when Tony Stark walks on to the stage. He steps towards Daphne and raises his eyebrows at her. He swiftly takes the microphone out of her hand and rolls his head to loosen up the muscles in his neck.

“Sheesh, you teens won’t stop, won’t you?” He scoffs, but he smiles. “I’ve actually been working on this for a while, so thanks for ruining the surprise.” Daphne’s mouth falls open, as do all the other Art Class kids.  
“Wait, you’re for real?” Daphne asks, wide eyed.  
“Yeah.” Tony shrugs. “Lawsuits are stupid and they take a ton of time.” He turns to the audience. “As most of you know I’ve been trying to find another school to transfer the Art Class to. I don’t want my name attached to that other place anymore.”  
“Wait, we’re all moving?” Malcolm asks. Tony makes a jazz hand with the hand that’s not holding the mic.  
“Surpriiiise.”  
“We’re not moving out of New York, are we?” Sarah inquires. Tony shakes his head as he shifts his attention to Daphne.  
“I’ve actually been in talks with principal Morita from Midtown Tech.”  
“What?! No! We want Daph back at Art School, we never said we’d go to Midtown!” Tyrone says offended.  
“Surpriiiiise,” Tony repeats with a scoff. “Your curriculum wouldn’t change. Same teachers, same classes, same classmates, different location.”

“Why Midtown?” Alice asks shyly.  
“Principal Morita actually reached out to me. Seems the Halloween party you organized was the best they’ve had in years and they want more’o’that.” Daphne flinches slightly at the mention of the Halloween party, but is ultimately able to let it go. “No, actually, he wants to diversify his school and we already have the science scholarships at Midtown. Seems like a solid option.” Daphne’s old class shares glances with each other and then look at Daphne and Tony.  
“As long as we get Daphne back and get to keep everything you said we’d get to keep, then we agree.” Sarah cocks her head and Tony bursts into laughter.  
“Right, right. Well, then, starting January, Art Class will be at Midtown Tech.” The class makes a surprised noise.  
“January?!” A smile spreads on Tony’s face that could only be described as “a shit-eating grin.” He wiggles his eyebrows at Daphne, who stares at him in disbelief.

Tony is really taking advantage of the situation. Daphne gets to stay at Midtown, aka she gets to stay protected and under Tony’s supervision. But she also gets to have Art Class again. Genius. On a villain-like level. Daphne’s close to tears. She wants to hug him. Because even though he’s pulling the strings, he’s pulling them for her. He wouldn’t do this if he didn’t want her to be happy. He could’ve simply said no. Left her at Midtown, depressed. But he didn’t. He did this for her. Just like the restraining order, or all the medical treatment he’s given her, or Peter’s regulator. Yes, he’s a manipulative asshole, but he has a heart. Tony’s “shit-eating grin” grows a little bigger when he repeats himself once more:  
“Surpriiiise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter... A certain sorcerer... Whose name starts with an S... Is gonna make his return.... 👀👀👀👀


	86. Sorcerers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne chats with two sorcerers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh.

The presenter shuffled on stage to thank everyone for coming and the curtains close, leaving Daphne, Tony and Art Class on stage, cut off from the audience.  
“So, Daph, kid, whaddaya say?” There’s a sparkle in Tony's eyes and he looks at her with a smug smile. Daphne stares at him wide eyed. Tony snorts and pats her shoulder. “Yeah, no need to thank me, I know I’m awesome.” Daphne sputters, taking a step towards him.  
“Bu-“  
“And there’s nothing to forgive.” He interrupts her. “I also know I’m an asshole.” Daphne shakes her head and scoffs with a chuckle.  
“Asshole with a heart.” Tony looks at her surprised and presses his lips on top of each other. He’s used to being showered with compliments, but this one somehow hits differently. Maybe because the heart thing is Pepper’s and his gag. 

One corner of Tony’s mouth curls up and he collects himself, rolling his shoulders and clapping once. He rubs his hands together and looks around the group.  
“So, who am I seeing at the gala tonight?” Realization finally hits the other performers backstage that none other than Tony Stark is on their stage. Within reach. They all rush to get to him. His face lights up in feigned surprise and he looks at Daphne.  
“Help me!” He mouths as an ambush of students washes over him. Daphne’s eyebrows raise as she laughs and moves to take a few steps away from him.  
“Sorry, asshole,” she mouths back, making him laugh until he realizes there’s no way out of this mess.  
“Daph, need Happy, stat!” He shouts over the crowd. However, he does give all the teens his undivided attention afterwards.

…

Daphne ignores her old classmates when they call her back on stage as she rushes to the exit of the backstage area towards the foyer. Where the hell would Happy be? She’s only met the guy once and that was super brief! Shouldn’t he be with Tony at all times?

Daphne pushes to open the door with force, but just when she rushes through, she accidentally runs into someone. She’s bounced backwards against the door and she looks up shocked.  
“Happy!” she exclaims as she recognizes the man in front of her.  
“Where’s Tony?” is all he asks. He’s slightly bent forward and he’s holding out his hands as if he’s going to catch a football. It looks rather amusing. Daphne glances back at where she came from.  
“On stage,” she replies quickly. Happy nods once and pushes past her, leaving her stunned. That happened a little too quickly for her to process. 

Just when Daphne’s about to walk back to the backstage area, she’s stopped by a gentle hand on her shoulder. Daphne jolts and looks back at the person who’s touching her. It’s a woman. Beautiful. She has a chiseled jawline, black hair and bright blue eyes. She seems familiar.  
“Hey,” the lady says softly. Her grin gives away her identity. Daphne relaxes and smiles back as Loki’s hand leaves her shoulder.  
“Hey.” Daphne eyes Lady Loki’s entire appearance and gestures at her. “Isn’t this a little obvious?”  
“Perhaps,” Lady Loki chuckles. “I have caught your boyfriend staring at me a few times.” She leans in with a smirk. “Jealous?”

Daphne scoffs.  
“Ha! Funny,” she says as she cocks her head. “He could probably smell your Asgardian ass the second you walked into the building.” It’s Loki’s turn to laugh now.  
“My ‘Asgardian ass’ smells very nice, thank you.” Daphne rolls her eyes.  
“You’re unbelievable.”  
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Loki smiles wide. There’s a short, pleasant silence.  
“So,” Daphne says, raising her eyebrows. “Did you enjoy the performance?” Before Loki speaks, Daphne makes a little jump with a grin, and adds: “And don’t lie, I know when you do.”  
“This might have been the longest afternoon of my life, I have to say,” Loki scoffs. “Did not care for most of it.” Daphne’s shoulders droop slightly, so Loki continues quickly, not wanting to make Daphne feel bad. “However, I greatly enjoyed every second you were on stage.”

Daphne looks back up at Loki with a soft expression.  
“You did?” Loki nods.  
“I believe you even did a Firebird, correct?” Daphne nods quickly, her excitement returning to her.  
“Yeah!” She says with a bright smile. She cocks her head at Loki. “Though, that was already in the choreography. Don’t think I put it in for you!”  
“I would not dare,” Loki chuckles. “However, there is a slight tingle in my stomach. You’re not lying, but you’re not saying the truth either.” Loki playfully cocks an eyebrow, making Daphne go red.  
“Well, I-“ She pauses. “I did think about you when I did the Firebird.”  
“Ah, how sweet,” Loki coos. Daphne waves her hand.  
“Oh, fuck off,” she laughs. Loki wiggles her eyebrows once and gives Daphne a kind smile.

“Thank you.” Daphne looks up confused when Loki says that.  
“Wha- why?” Lady Loki takes a small step forward and pushes a stray strand of hair from Daphne’s half up-do behind Daphne’s ear.  
“For everything.”  
“Don’t get sappy with me, Loki,” she laughs, but it dies down when she sees how serious Loki looks.  
“I mean it,” she says quietly. “It means a lot to me that you invited me here. To see how beautifully you dance.”  
“Thank you,” Daphne mumbles, unsure of how to reply. She just got a compliment from a 1500-year-old god. How do you respond to that?

“I did not know it is custom to gift a flower to the performer when they’re done. I did not bring one.” Lady Loki looks at her hands apologetically and fiddles with her fingers. “Is there any other way I can show you how much I enjoyed your dancing?” Daphne smiles and looks Loki in the eyes.  
“How about a hug?” She asks.  
“That would be nice,” Loki admits. Before she knows it, Daphne has already wrapped her arms around her. Loki looks down at the small teen and gently embraces her back. Daphne looks back to the dressing rooms when she lets go of Loki. People have already started getting changed to leave the theater. 

“I should probably get going,” Daphne mumbles. Loki nods and smiles.  
“Probably,” she replies. Loki looks in the direction of the foyer, which is now filled with the audience members, and frowns slightly.  
“Don’t worry about the Avengers,” Daphne says. “They won't be coming here. They know they’re not allowed back here.”  
“Just them?”  
“No, everyone, actually. Including you.” Daphne smirks.  
“Well, then I should really be making my leave then.” Loki turns to walk away, but Daphne stops her by grabbing her arm.  
“Thank you,” she says shyly. “For coming.”  
“The pleasure is mine,” Loki replies politely.  
“We’ll talk some more next month, 'kay?” Daphne bites the inside of her cheek. “There’s some stuff I want to discuss.” Loki cocks her head at Daphne.  
“Oh? What kind of ‘stuff’?”  
“If I told you, you wouldn’t leave.” Loki’s face contorts for a split second and Daphne could punch herself for being so obvious. Now Loki knows she knows.  
“Indulge me,” she says rather dark.  
“I think it’s better if I don’t.” Loki grabs Daphne’s arm. She’s still gentle, even though that doesn’t match the way she looks right now.  
“Liar,” she hisses.  
“Loki, please.” Loki collects herself and lets go of Daphne. Daphne frowns and has to do everything she can not to burst into tears right there. “I want one normal day. _Please,_ Let me have this day. I’ll worry about all the other shit tomorrow, okay?” Loki takes a breath and sighs.  
“All I want is for you to be safe, Daphne.” She sounds pained. Tired. She turns away from the ballerina, letting her shoulders hang. “I will be back soon,” she says monotone. Lady Loki walks away, leaving Daphne in the door opening that separates the backstage area and the foyer; between two worlds.

…

Daphne makes her way back to the stage, where Happy has seemingly saved Tony. All the students are in their dressing rooms now.  
“Back already?” Tony says sarcastically.  
“Sorry,” Daphne apologizes as she glances back once. “Got held up.”

Daphne and Tony briefly discuss the practical side of merging Art School with Tech School and she thanks him again. She walks Happy and Tony back to the exit of the backstage area and lets them know she’s going to get her stuff from her dressing room. Most people have already run out of the backstage area to their families, so it’s a little quiet in the back. Daphne’s dying to get the pointe shoes off her feet. She leaves the door opened and drops herself on the chair, tugging at the ribbons. She tosses the first shoe away from her and is halfway through untying the next one when there’s a knock.

Daphne looks up at the stranger in the doorway. Brown hair, dark eyes, short beard. She feels like she’s seen him somewhere before, but she’s unsure. The man is holding a few roses and he smiles kindly.  
“Can I help you?” She asks as she pulls the second shoe off her foot. His smile grows a little wider before he takes a breath and replies.  
“Maybe later.” Daphne frowns as she turns in her seat to pick up both her shoes and put them in her bag. What does he mean with that? He clears his throat and cocks his head. “Someone who is very dear to me performed tonight and I brought some extra roses to give to people that stood out to me.”  
“Oh, that’s nice of you,” Daphne says sheepishly as she stands up to shuffle around some things on the vanity, not really looking at the man.

“May I come in?” Daphne turns her head to look at him and swiftly decides she doesn’t want a stranger in her dressing room.  
“Nah, I’m not allowed to let anyone in here, sorry,” she says quickly, hoping that’ll make him get on with it. She didn’t notice the man’s face contorting with frustration for a second.  
“I’d like to give you one of the roses.” His voice is calm, collected. Daphne looks up at him surprised.  
“Oh?” She finally makes eye contact and goose bumps spread over her entire body. His eyes draw her in.

Before she realizes what she’s doing, she’s standing opposite him, taking a rose from him. He presents it in a way she wouldn’t touch him as she takes it. She studies the rose from up close. It’s already a deep red, yet it’s still just a bud. Fresh and new, seemingly ready to grow big and bold.  
“Thank you, sir,” Daphne says politely. He laughs softly, seeming content somehow.  
“You dance beautifully.” He scrunches his nose slightly. “Your… _stage_ presence captivates me.” The way he emphasized the word ‘stage’ makes it sound like he didn’t want that word to be there. Daphne takes a small step back, creating distance between the two of them.  
“A-alright,” she replies awkwardly, ready to turn back to her vanity. Something’s holding her back, though.  
“I hope you never stop dancing,” he says, showing his teeth as he smiles. Daphne chuckles softly, indulging him with a conversation.  
“I’m not planning to,” she laughs sheepishly. “Though, I won’t be able to dance professionally forever. Age gets in the way of things.” The man scoffs and shakes his head with a grin.  
“It always does, doesn’t it?”

The man sighs audibly and rolls his shoulders as he re-positions the rest of his flowers in his arms.  
“Well, I suppose I should get going now.” Daphne looks back up at him from the rose when he says that. She absentmindedly caresses the red bud.  
“Y-Yeah, I gotta get changed… So… Yeah-“ Daphne presses her lips on top of each other. She should stop talking now. Why is she feeling so weird? Flustered? The man smiles triumphantly and turns away, walking towards the backstage exit.

“May you bloom like that flower one day.” His voice echoes through the now nearly empty hallway and Daphne can’t help but stare at him. Right before he leaves her line of sight, he turns her head to look her in the eye one more time. “Zephyr.” Panic rises in Daphne’s chest when his eyes light up. Her breath gets stuck in her throat and her muscles tense. _Sorcerer_. Before she can act upon her realization, the man waves his hand once, in her general direction and for a split second everything goes white.

Daphne blinks a couple times and stares into the empty hallway. The vinyl flooring is cold under her feet and she shivers as she looks down. She’s surprised to see she’s gently holding a rose in her hands. It’s fresh and new, seemingly ready to grow big and bold. She frowns, experiencing the annoying feeling of a déjà vu. She turns back into the changing room and closes the door behind her. She places the rose on the vanity before she continues packing. Her pointe shoes look dead, so she makes a mental note to order a new batch, as her stock at home is running low. She sneaks glances at the rose a few times while she’s moving around the room, wondering where she got it from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UH-OH.


	87. Two Tyrones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki initiates his plan at the gala.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for disappearing for a while! I never meant to leave this so long. My grandfather got very ill, very suddenly, to the point he had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance and we were sure he wasn't going to make it. Miraculously, he started getting better and he's currently rehabilitating. Then Christmas happened and it was just, genuinely chaos, pff.
> 
> I'm going to do my best to keep up with the story again!

So far, the gala is an absolute blast. The dinner was amazing, which is to be expected if Tony Stark is the host. The dinner consisted of six small courses and they were all absolutely delicious. Whenever Daphne felt like she was done with a course, all she had to do was glance at Peter and he’d open his mouth so she could feed him the rest of her food. He truly is a living trash can.

Peter’s mouth fell open when he first saw her in the dress of the night. It’s a long, navy blue gown. The bodice was covered in the most beautiful lace and the skirt was flowy, giving her space to dance freely. Her hair was being held out of her face by the dove pin Peter had given her for her birthday. Peter was still in the same suit from earlier that afternoon. He didn’t really have another suit. Peter laughed when he complimented Daphne on how she looked and she replied with a simple:  
“Oh, I got this one on sale for like, thirty dollars.” He then kissed her and told her it wouldn’t matter what she wore; she would always be beautiful to him.

The fact that Daphne still wore heels to the gala, even though she wore her pointes for a full afternoon, baffled Peter.  
“Don’t your feet hurt?”  
“Yes,” she had replied. “But that’s a problem for future me.” She shrugged and chuckled. “Besides, I’m used to painful feet by now.”

And now, after the dinner, Daphne is letting herself go on the dance floor. Nothing too crazy, though, because she’s still wearing a gala dress, which are restrictive by nature. Most of her classmates are on the dance floor as well, and she’s interacting with them while the upbeat Christmas tunes drum in their ears. Peter watches the group from a distance, too self-conscious to join in.

“Hey, kid.” Tony leans against the table, next to Peter, who absentmindedly plays with his empty glass. Peter glances at his mentor for a second before looking back at the dance floor.  
“Hey.”  
“You alright?”  
“A little tired.”  
“Not enjoying the party?” Tony cocks an eyebrow and Peter swiftly stands up straight, his back facing the dance floor.  
“I am!” he says immediately. “I’m just…” He shoots a glance at the Art Class having fun.

Tony grins knowingly.  
“You won’t embarrass yourself, if that’s what’s holding you back.”  
“I’m not a dancer, Mr. Stark.” Tony scoffs loudly.  
“Then what did you do this afternoon?” He takes a sip from his scotch and cocks his head.  
“Ballet. That’s not the same as what they’re doing over there.”  
“Okay, maybe you’re right about that, but do you think she’d care?” Tony uses his whisky glass to gesture at Daphne, who’s having a conversation with Sarah. Peter bites his lip and sighs.  
“I mean, no, but-“  
“No buts. Go have fun.” Tony’s eyes shoot to the DJ and he smirks playfully. “I got you covered, kid.”

Peter places his empty glass on the table and shuffles to the dance floor. He snakes through the crowd until he gets to the Art Class. To Daphne. When she spots him approaching, she lights up.  
“Pete!” She prances towards him and he smiles. “Finally decided to join the party?” She wiggles her eyebrows, making Peter laugh.  
“You know I’m not a dancer.” Daphne grabs Peter’s hands and steps side to side, guiding Peter to join her.  
“Liar,” she says with a smirk.

Daphne thinks back to the Halloween party. Before everything went to shit. Peter stayed on the side-lines for most of the evening, and she didn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable, so she let him. Tonight, however, he’s going to dance with her. She’s going to make sure of that. This is her night. Her last night before she has to start accepting that she’ll never be normal. She’ll never have a normal life. Sure, she’ll stay in Art Class, but pursuing a professional career as a ballerina is pretty much out of the picture. It’s too dangerous. Too risky. She has to stay hidden, for her own sake. Today was the last day she could allow herself to enjoy all of this. Before she has to accept what she is and what that entails. She-  
“Are you okay?”

Peter snaps Daphne out of her thoughts with his worried question. She takes a sharp breath and nods.  
“Yeah- yeah, I just had a moment.” She waves it off quickly. She’s not going to discuss this tonight. Tonight, is her night. No Zephyr shit. No Avengers crap. Just Daphne, Peter and the dance floor. The music stops abruptly, which makes all the dancers look at the DJ, who shrugs apologetically and points at Tony Stark. Tony makes eye contact with Peter and puts up both his thumbs with a wide grin and a nod. Peter rolls his eyes and groans with a smile. Tony’s playing wing man.

“What?” Daphne asks. Suddenly, Careless Whispers starts playing and all the teens in the crowd go nuts. Daphne and Peter burst out laughing. Tony knows damned well that this is a meme, but he also remembered Peter told him that this was the first song Peter and Daphne ever slow-danced to. Peter turns to face Daphne and presses his lips on top of each other in a smile as he puts his hands on her waist. Daphne stifles another laugh and wraps her arms around his neck. They shuffle side to side to the rhythm of the song. It’s not long before Daphne rests her head against Peter’s chest as the music carries them away.

…

About half an hour, and a few good songs to dance to later, Peter decides it’s time for Daphne to have something to drink. She’s been dancing for an hour without any breaks and he doesn’t want her to get dehydrated.  
“Can I get anybody else anything?” he asks the small group of Art Class people that had joined them over the course of the half hour.  
“Nah, I’m good!” Sarah says with a smile.  
“Same here, man, I’m actually gonna go pee real quick,” Tyrone laughs as he shuffles away. Peter places his hand on Daphne’s shoulder.  
“Be right back, dove,” he says with a smile.

Sarah and Alice ended up with their backs turned to Daphne rather quickly, as they got into a heated conversation about the best song of the year, which means Daphne’s now dancing by herself. She doesn’t mind, though. Her feet ache. She’s pretty sure she won’t be able to walk tomorrow, but that’s fine by her. She’s going to have to do a lot of thinking anyways, so she might as well do that while being stuck on the couch. She twirls, but lets out a startled yelp when someone takes hold of her wrists. She looks up to meet Tyrone’s dark eyes.

“Fuck, man, you scared me!” Daphne laughs. Tyrone smirks and lets go of her with a nod.  
“Sorry, didn’t mean to!” Daphne cocks an eyebrow at his uncharacteristic reply.  
“Don’t worry, fam.” They dance together, but something is off about him. His moves are not as fluid as they usually are. Suspicion creeps over Daphne and she takes a breath. “Didn’t you go to the toilet, like, two seconds ago?” Tyrone must’ve caught onto her doubts, because his grin grows wider.  
“_I_ didn’t.”

Daphne’s eyes grow wide and she punches him in the chest.  
“Loki, what the _fuck_!”  
“Sh-sh-sh,” he shushes her. “Don’t want to cause a scene.” His British accent starts seeping through. It sounds weird with Tyrone’s voice. Daphne stops moving and glares at him.  
“Tyrone pees like Usain Bolt, he’s gonna be back any fucking second! You’re gonna be the one causing a scene!” She whispers loudly.  
“I do not know what or who that is, but I’m guessing he’s quick?” Tyrone-Loki cocks an eyebrow and he takes Daphne’s hands in his own, urging her to sidestep with him to keep up the act. Daphne’s face contorts and she looks at the door that leads to the toilets.

“Please, Loki, just go away. I asked you this earlier today, I want this to be my night. Just tonight. Please, go,” she begs. Tyrone gives Daphne a stern look and shakes his head.  
“I’m afraid I have to test the Avengers.” He purses his lips. “This is something I have wanted to do for a while and you’re not going to stop me, Daphne.” Fear flashes in Daphne’s eyes and Loki curses himself for not choosing his words more carefully. “I need to know if your friends can protect you.”  
“By outing me to everyone? My class? The paparazzi in the corner?” Tears start to build up in the corners of Daphne’s eyes. “I thought I meant more to you.”

_Odin’s beard. Why must she be like this._

“I do not think you realize just how much you mean to me, dearest.” Tyrone’s hand cups her face. It feels wrong. “I am doing this for you.” A single tear rolls down Daphne’s cheek.  
“Please, go,” she begs one more time. Her voice cracks. Loki spots the real Tyrone walking in. Loki’s face contorts.  
“Too late,” he mumbles when he looks at Peter, who’s holding two glasses of coke, doing a double take, trying to figure out why there are two Tyrones in the room. Daphne’s jaw clenches, she sniffs and spits out her words, like a dagger piercing Loki’s heart.  
“I hate you.”

…

Everything happens fast. Too fast. Peter looks at both Tyrones and suddenly it hits. He drops the glasses. But before the coke can hit his suit, he’s already making his way through the crowd of dancing people. He needs to reach Daphne. Stat. However, before he can get close to her, Tyrone’s appearance shifts, catching the attention of the dancers around them. Peter’s eyes go wide when he recognizes the lady from the theater, earlier that day. The beautiful woman he had made eye contact with. Twice! He should have known something was up! The woman holds onto Daphne’s wrists, but she starts to struggle.  
“Let GO!” Daphne screams, catching the attention of even more people around them. She kicks the lady. Punches, scratches, but nothing seems to phase her.

The beautiful lady grins, yet there’s something sad about it. She raises one hand and snaps her fingers, causing all electricity to fail. The lights go off. The music stops. Chaos ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year, everyone! <3


	88. Rooftop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki and Daphne are on the rooftop. The Avengers join soon after. An eye-opening conversation takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Daphne says fuck a lot and is a bit of a Negative Nancy. Mention of suicide.
> 
> A bit of a longer one to make up for the lost days! <3 I hope you enjoy!

“The hell is going on?!” Tony rushes to Peter through the panicking crowd in the dark and grabs him by the arm. Peter’s close to hyperventilating.  
“Sorceress!” He exclaims, making Tony let out an exasperated sigh.  
“_Great!_” Tony summons one of his suits, while the other present Avengers do their best to escort all the party-goers outside. It should be here soon. Pepper joins them.  
“Can you track her?” Peter pleads as the lights come back on, confirming Peter’s indirect statement that Daphne and the sorceress were no longer in the room with them.  
“Already on it, kid.”

Yes, maybe Tony should’ve told Peter that he did some tweaking on Daphne’s dove pin when she was in Avengers Tower for her concussion. Yes, maybe he should’ve informed Daphne about that as well. But he felt like that could only result in her wearing it less on purpose, given that Daphne hasn’t been keen on doing what other people want her to do lately. As long as neither of them ask how Tony tracked her, there’s no reason for him to tell them. Other than Daphne already distrusting him slightly for keeping secrets and lying. A lot.

“You called?” Stephen Strange walks through a portal, rolling his eyes. Tony glances at Pepper who shrugs apologetically.  
“I don’t think anyone here is capable of taking on a sorceress,” she states before she gestures at the doctor. “He can.” Strange’s eyebrows raise.  
“Sorceress?” There’s a beat. Peter bites the inside of his cheek.  
“She took Daphne.”

Stephen blinks a few times, battling his inner self for getting involved with the Zephyr again.  
“And you want me to solve your problem?”  
“You know what’ll happen if she falls into the wrong hands, Strange.” Tony groans as he steps into the suit that just arrived.  
“If she teleported out of here she could be anywhere, Stark. This is a wild goose chase!” Iron Man suddenly looks straight up and then cocks his head.  
“They’re on the roof.”

…

Daphne pushes herself away from Lady Loki once they reach the roof. This time, Loki lets her go, before turning back to regular Loki.  
“Being angry with me will not change things, Daphne,” he sighs. Daphne swiftly turns around. Her knuckles are white from the pressure she puts into her fists.  
“Oh, so I’m just supposed to let you do all of this?” She gestures at nothing in particular while cocking her head. “Without consequence?”  
“No, I mean-“  
“I don’t give a single FUCK about what you mean! This is wrong and you ruined everything!” Tears prick at the corners of Daphne’s eyes. Loki takes a small step forward, wanting to comfort her, but she takes a big stride backwards.

“What can I do to make this right?” He pleads, noticing a few Avengers have gathered behind the door to the roof of the building. They acted quickly enough to leave Loki satisfied with the test results. But they’re waiting. Probably listening.  
“How about you start talking to me, huh?!”  
“You said you wanted to talk next time,” Loki says simply. “I’m unclear on what exactly you want to talk about.” Daphne cries out in frustration.  
“Lies, lies, LIES! Everyone LIES!” She shouts. “All the FUCKING time!”

“Daphne, I need you to calm down.”  
“Calm down?! Are you fucking kidding me?!” Daphne laughs hysterically as she starts pacing over the roof in her heels. “We had a deal! You get to visit me once a month in exchange for not hurting anyone on earth! For not doing crap like this!”  
“I had to know-“  
“Shut up! Just… Shut up!” Daphne pauses and her shoulders droop. She stares at Loki who’s now apparently smart enough to keep his lips pressed together.

“Zephyr,” Daphne says quietly. Loki’s expression hardens. He wants to reply, but Daphne continues, through gritted teeth. “That’s what you made me, right?”  
“Who told you.” It was more a demand than a question.  
“Doesn’t fucking matter. You are the one who made me, right?!”  
“It was an accident.”  
“Did you really think bringing me back from the dead wouldn’t have _any_ repercussions?” Loki stares at her, wide eyed. She remembered.  
“How did you-“  
“Also doesn’t fucking matter how I found out. I wasn’t unconscious when you found me. I was dead!”  
“No…” Loki mumbles. “You were not dead when I found you.” He looks up to meet her gaze. “You died in my arms.” Daphne trembles.  
“But I died,” she scoffs. “Should’ve left me that way.”

“Don’t say that,” Loki pushes out with a frown, taking another step towards her. Once again, Daphne moves away from him.  
“What was your grand plan, then?”  
“There was no plan! You know me, I do things impulsively!” Loki’s frustration grows.  
“Necromancy?!”  
“It was _NOT_ necromancy!”  
“Then what was it?!”  
“I don’t know!” He’s yelling now. “It just happened!”  
“Oh, fuck off!”  
“You know when I lie, Daphne, I am not lying!”

Daphne wants to punch him in the face, but it wouldn’t have any effect on him whatsoever, so she leaves it. It’s quiet for a little bit before Loki breaks the silence.  
“What happened while I was away?” His voice cracks. Goosebumps spread over Daphne’s entire body and she lets out a quiet sob. She hugs herself with her arms and she looks down.  
“Everything.” Loki slowly walks towards her. This time, she doesn’t move away.  
“Everything?” He asks quietly. She can’t see anymore with the tears distorting her view. She doesn’t reply right away, but counters his question with one of her own.

“When am I ready?” She looks up to meet Loki’s worried gaze, the tears that blocked her view are now falling down her cheeks. He gently takes her tightened jaw in his hand and rubs a tear away with his thumb.  
“I wish I knew,” he says softly. “But there is only one sorcerer out there who can tell you that and you do not want to meet him.” Daphne sniffs.  
“You know him?”  
“Only through stories.” Loki pets her hair. “There is a reason he knows so much about Zephyrs.” He pauses. “And I need you to never be the reason why he will learn more.”

“Does he know about me?” It’s barely a whisper. “Does he know I exist?”  
“My heart wants to tell you no. But the longer I have known you… The more unsure I am.” Daphne looks down at Loki’s feet and pulls a face. He continues before she can ask more. “I have been told he’s as old as the universe itself. Has a way of getting inside people’s heads. Making them do anything for him.” Daphne swallows and doesn’t dare to look back up at Loki. “And that the only way to kill him is to use you.”  
“Would you?” She pushes out. Loki doesn’t flinch.  
“Never.”

“Alright!” Iron Man flies up from the side of the building together with The Falcon. They land in front of Loki and Daphne. “Party’s over.”  
“Does it look like we are having a party, Stark?” Loki grumbles. The door to the roof opens and more Avengers surround them. Peter, Natasha, Steve and Bucky spread out and when Doctor Strange appears, Daphne can’t help but move towards Loki and cling onto his arm for dear life. Loki notices and his mood darkens.

“Sorcerer,” Loki says dark. “What did you do to her.” Once again. Not a question; a demand.  
“Nothing,” Strange replies. Loki scoffs and looks at Daphne with raised eyebrows.  
“And you call me a liar?” Daphne doesn’t reply. She only stares at the Sorcerer Supreme.  
“Let the girl go.”  
“Ah.” Loki’s mood darkens again. “You channelled her, didn’t you?”  
“Don’t make this about me, Loki.”  
“Oh, no, but right now; this is about you.”

Loki takes a step forward, standing in front of Daphne.  
“Did it feel good?” Loki cocks his head. “Having all that power flow through you? Did you use it well?”  
“I’ll split you in two if you don’t stop talking,” Stephen says with a sour face. His phrasing makes all the Avengers glance at him.  
“No, I’m gauging here, _doctor._” Loki takes another step forward. “You see, I cannot take from Daphne. The only way she can make me more powerful is by giving, which she can only do once she is ready. Now, you-“ He pauses dramatically as he points accusingly at the doctor. “You can take.”

“Do not test my patience,” Strange threatens.  
“You are making this harder for yourself, I’m not doing anything,” Loki chuckles. “I suppose none of you have realized this yet, but Daphne is a drug to people like us.” Daphne frowns at his words and looks up at him. “The power that she carries with her… We feel it when we are near her. Constantly. It’s what attracts us to her. It’s what makes us want to protect her.” Loki glances back at the Zephyr and sucks at his teeth before looking at the Sorcerer Supreme again. “We are obsessed with her, doctor.”

“No.”  
“Yes.” Loki shrugs. “It is not her fault, nor is it ours. We simply became addicted the second we laid our eyes on her.” He tightens his jaw. “It is important that we remain in control of ourselves. I have found many power sources in my time. You are young. I advise you to stay away from her before you ‘accidentally’ use her again.”  
“You think I lack control?” Stephen angrily summons orange rings of magic around his clenched fists.  
“Just like the young spider, yes.” Loki glances at Peter who takes a step back.  
“What?” Peter mutters.  
“Oh, child, do not tell me you have not been attracted to her since day one.”  
“I-“  
“I have studied you, Peter. From a distance,” Loki admits.

“What?” Daphne walks towards Loki. “That’s against our deal!”  
“No,” Loki says with a pout. “Don’t think it is.” He looks back at Peter, cocking an eyebrow. “You’re very sensitive. More sensitive than a few sorcerers I know.” Peter blinks in amazement. “She cannot touch you without you wearing that regulator. Correct?” Peter glances down at his wrist. Barely believing what he’s hearing. “Doctor?” Loki turns back to Stephen. “What did you feel, when you took from Daphne?” Strange glares at Peter before replying reluctantly.  
“Power.”  
“And…?”  
“Pain.” Stephen’s face contorts. “A lot of pain.”  
“That is because you do not know how to distribute the power equally over your body.” Loki starts pacing slowly. “The stinging, burning pain starts where you touch her… And then it spreads.” He stops right before Peter. “Now who else experiences that when he touches Daphne?” Loki cocks one eyebrow at Peter who can do nothing but stare back at him, baffled.

“Are…” Daphne mumbles before looking up at Loki, who turns around to face her. “Are you telling me Peter doesn’t love me?” Loki presses his lips on top of each other.  
“Maybe he does love you, I will not go against that.” He takes a step towards Daphne before gesturing at Peter. “But he cannot deny that he likes how he feels when he’s around you. Now, that could be love, yes. However, it would not surprise me if your power has to do with it as well.”  
“You’re lying!” Peter shouts suddenly.  
“Oh, so, now you deny that you have changed since you met her? How insanely protective you have been of her? How you want to spend every second of your time with her? You are angrier than you have ever been, boy. And that is not of love. You do not know what to do with the power she feeds you every single day. It makes you snappy when you are not with her because you feel empty. You are addicted, just like Doctor Strange. Just like me.”

Daphne stares at Peter, who stares at Loki. It’s too quiet for a Manhattan rooftop. Everyone is dumbfounded by this information. Suddenly, Daphne realizes…  
“David,” she whispers.  
“Ah!” Loki turns back to Daphne with his index fingers raised. “Interesting you brought him up.”  
“Is he…?”  
“I could feel David has magic when he stood at the door of your childhood home.” Loki frowns slightly. “I do not think he knows, though.”

“So, he’s always been obsessed with me because I’m a Zephyr?” Daphne’s face contorts. Loki nods once.  
“That is my guess.” He takes a breath. “The reason Zephyrs become collector’s items is because the people they spend time with become too involved. When they become too involved, they become too protective.” He sniffs and rolls his shoulders, glancing back at Peter. “They will want you around them at all times. Be theirs. And if you don’t listen…”  
“They lock me up.” Daphne finishes his thought.  
“There is a reason I agreed to only see you once a month, child.” Loki purses his lips. “The less I see you, the less influence you have on me. I would not be surprised if the spider goes mad like David did.”

Peter’s voice cracks defeated.  
“How could you say all of this? You’re just manipulating everything! Again!”  
“Am I, boy?” Loki grits. “Are my words not resonating with you?”  
“I love her.”  
“I have no doubt.” Loki nods once and sighs. “I love her too.”  
“But I wouldn’t lock her up. I’d never hurt her!”  
“That is just it, though,” Loki says simply. “David does not think he hurts her. He thinks everything he does, he does for her. For her own good. Which… Actually, now makes me realize that whatever I pulled tonight was a similar act, I suppose.” Loki shakes his head. “In any case; if you ever think to put her somewhere against her will. Bind her to a place, whether that be with a key on a door or rope… webbing… You will not think yourself evil. And whoever goes against you, is – to you – someone who just does not care about Daphne as much as you do and therefore also a threat to her.”

“So, David was perfectly normal until he met me? I’m the reason he went full psychopath?” Daphne’s tears start flowing again. Loki looks at her with a frown.  
“I’m sorry, Daphne.”  
“Why-?”  
“Why what?”  
“Why did you have to save my life?” Daphne’s legs are finally done. They can no longer hold her up from all the exhaustion. She falls to her knees, tearing the beautiful navy-blue dress. “I’m ruining everyone else’s. Once again, I’m the bother. I’m the one who fucks everything up. Might as well just toss myself off this building, save you all the hassle.” Before anyone else can react, Iron Man kneels next to Daphne.  
“Don’t you dare think like that,” he says monotone.

“Nothing is real, Mr. Stark,” Daphne sobs. “Everything in my life is manipulated bull crap.”  
“You never let me finish,” Loki mumbles as he shuffles towards them. Iron Man immediately raises his hand and charges his repulsor to keep Loki at a distance.  
“What do you mean?” Daphne questions quietly.  
“I learned something, recently.”  
“Talk.” Bucky says. “Stop stalling.”

Loki rolls his eyes at the man with the metal arm before shifting his attention back to Daphne.  
“As I said, I think the sorcerer already knows about you.” Daphne’s muscles tighten at his words. Loki cocks his head. “He is known as the Collector of Zephyrs. All Zephyrs ended up belonging to him. You are the first one in 700 years. It would be foolish to assume that he is not aware of your existence.”  
“Then why not take me?” Daphne frowns.  
“Because he does not want you to affect him the way you affect others. I think he is waiting.”  
“For what?” Strange grumbles.  
“For Daphne to be ready.”

“What does that even mean?” Natasha interferes. Loki looks at Daphne and cocks an eyebrow.  
“Do you know what that means?”  
“Don’t you?” She quips back.  
“I do. I’m just curious if you do.” Daphne stares up at him and takes a breath before looking at Natasha to explain.  
“Right now, people can only take my magic. It’s… weaker, than it would be when I’m ready, but it hurts when it’s taken from me. I die quicker.”  
“Die quicker?” Steve’s eyebrows go up and Daphne nods.  
“I have no control over what I carry right now, but…” She looks down and fiddles with her fingers. “When I’m ready I can give my power to others on my own.”

“Correct,” Loki states. “We don’t know how much we can take from her now. The only way we can know we took too much is when she falls to the ground.” He pauses. “Lifeless.”  
“Fuck, man-“ Sam shakes his head.  
“Now, my theory is not that he just waits for you to be ready so you will not die when he uses you…” Loki paces again. “I think that he also waits for you to gain control over that power. I think you can make yourself less addicting once you are ready.”  
“Shouldn’t he be here to mold me already then? Influence me?” Daphne thinks out loud. “I would never give him anything he wants if he were to just show up. Especially if I have control over my power at that point. Shouldn’t he be in my head already?”  
“I do not think that man needs as much time and effort to persuade you as you think he does.” Loki rubs his chin. “Though, I do agree that if he knows about your existence, you might have already run into him at some point.” Daphne scoffs nervously.  
“Please tell me you’re joking.”

“When I get a new horse, it needs to be trained first,” Loki says suddenly, pacing over the rooftop again. “I am not at the stables to train the horse. I am not there to raise it. I let it be until I come to collect it.” He stops in his tracks. “However, every now and then… I check.” He looks straight at Daphne when he says the last word. “I want to make sure that the horse is doing well. That they’re safe… And that they’re ready when I come to claim them.”  
“So, I’m a horse now.”  
“Is that what you took from the story?” Loki scoffs. “I’m telling you to be more mindful of who you meet, for they may not be who they seem.”  
“Well, then what do I look out for?” Daphne’s slightly irritated again. The tension is high. Peter is still frozen in place.

“His name is Somm.” Loki takes a deep breath. “Tall. Lean. Brown hair, to the shoulders. Slight beard. His irises black as the night. He’s charming. In a twisted way.” Daphne tries to think of when she met someone like that, but nothing seems to come to mind. “His magic is particular. He enters people’s minds by asking them if he can come in.”  
“Wha- literally? Like a vampire?” Sam jokes. Loki looks at him confused.  
“No, vampires are horrible creatures without morals, who hunt at night for sport.” Sam gulps.  
“Wait, vampires are actually a thing?!”  
“Not on Midgard.” Loki lets out an exasperated sigh and turns his attention back to his other side. “From now on, whenever someone asks you ‘May I come in?’ you don’t answer them or you refuse. Understood?” Daphne nods slightly. She feels like she’s already heard that question today, but can’t seem to place when or where.

There’s a shift in the air, which makes Loki look up to the sky.  
“Odin’s beard, why now?” He groans. His shoulders droop as he looks back at the Avengers. “I am going to have to go now. I’ve been here too long.”  
“What if we have more questions?” Steve asks, which makes Loki chuckle.  
“Oh, so now you suddenly don’t want me dead anymore?” Steve rolls his eyes.  
“Given that you play an important part in Daphne’s safety and have the ability and resources to learn more about both Zephyrs and that sorcerer, I don’t think it’s bad to work together.” Loki nods; agreeing. He eyes Daphne.  
“When I visited you in November, I gave you the Muninn charm. Do you still have it?” Daphne nods. “If you ever need to speak to me again or if Daphne is in danger, you can call to me through that.”

“Is that the Asgardian Silver Nick Fury found in your bag?” Iron Man asks, making Daphne look up at him surprised.  
“You knew I had it?”  
“Wasn’t important to me at the time and pretty much forgot about it ‘til now, but yeah.” Daphne looks back down, embarrassed.  
“Why go through all these lengths to keep me safe? Why am I so important?”  
“Daph, you need to realize you are every dictator’s wet dream.” Iron Man pauses and shakes his head slightly. “That… was a weird way of putting it. Sorry.”  
“It is true, though,” Loki adds. “You can help bring civilizations to their knees, move mountains. I have read tales of a Zephyr so strong, Somm was able to destroy a planet with their aid. Completely.” Daphne stares at Loki in disbelief.  
“If anyone with bad intentions takes you, they will be unstoppable,” Strange says quietly after gritting his teeth in silence for a while.

Daphne releases the tension in all of her muscles when it all hits. There is relief, somehow. This isn’t about her. Yet, anxiety creeps up on her. This is about the universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO MUCH NEW INFO AAH
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! <3


	89. Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne makes a decision that will have a big impact on everyone around her.

Daphne stares ahead at nothing in particular. She’s surrounded by part of the Avengers. They’re all wearing their suits and gala clothes, save for Tony Stark, who is still knelt next to her on the ground in his Iron Man suit. It’s the 23rd of December and they’re on a rooftop. Daphne’s wearing nothing more than a torn, lacy gala dress and her heels have been chucked aside, so saying she’s starting to get a little cold is an understatement. Everything Loki just told them is racing through her head. The other Avengers might have their doubts, but Daphne is sure. He didn’t lie. He didn’t manipulate. All he said is true. Somm, the addictions… Peter…

Answers. Daphne wants answers. Needs them. She swears inwardly, knowing that what she wants is impossible to obtain without the right help. And the only one who can help her is not on earth. She has no choice if she wants to ease her mind. She has to do this.

“Loki?” Daphne mumbles quietly.  
“Yes, dear?” He cocks an eyebrow at her.  
“Could… Could I have a word with you?” Loki glances up at the sky again, his face contorting. They must know he’s missing on Asgard.  
“We are having a word now, aren’t we?”  
“No- no, I mean… In private.”  
“No.” Iron Man’s electronic voice pushes through the air. Daphne turns her head to look at the intimidating mask.  
“Yes,” is all she says. She scrambles to stand upright, ignoring Stark’s protests. “You want answers, right? Well, fuck, me too. Let me have this.”

Loki angles his head and frowns.  
“And where could we have a private word?” He asks. Daphne glances to the next building. The roof is slightly lower, but it’s far enough away that no one would hear them, yet close enough that they would still be in view.  
“There.” Loki scoffs at her suggestion.  
“And how are you planning on getting there?” Daphne rolls her eyes at Loki and sighs, frustrated. She dramatically holds out her hand to him. He chuckles and makes his way towards her.  
“Daph, don’t-“ Peter tries as he steps forward. He interrupts himself when she looks at him. The sadness in her eyes locks away his voice.  
“Just a minute,” she whispers, before Loki pulls her towards him and they disappear in thin air.

…

Loki saunters over the rooftop, leaving Daphne by herself. He has his back towards her as he takes his steps, stealing glances at the Avengers who are watching them from the other rooftop. He knows Daphne is dialling Tony on speaker. Loki’s not stupid. Daphne gives Iron Man a stern look to urge him to keep this conversation secret.  
“Now, what is so important that I am the only one who is allowed to hear it?” Loki asks playfully.  
“Take me to Ravir.” Loki halts immediately. His eyes go wide as he whips around to face Daphne.  
“Excuse me?”  
“You heard me.”  
"Daphne under-no-circumstances-will-I-ever-leave-earth Birch wants to leave earth?” Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and gives Loki a blank look.  
“I need answers,” she replies. Loki walks towards her until he has to angle his face down to look at her. He frowns.  
“Why Ravir?” Daphne takes a breath.  
“She’s the one who told me what I am.”

Loki blinks a few times with his mouth opened in disbelief before he rolls his shoulders and collects himself.  
“That sure gives me an advantage over her.”  
“What?” Daphne takes a step back, confused. Loki smirks and shrugs.  
“She made a promise, never to get involved with you.” He wiggles his eyebrows. “Now that she broke that promise, she owes me a favor.”  
“Alright, then,” Daphne scoffs.  
“I don’t think you understand what I am saying.” He places a hand on her shoulder. “We can use that favor to force her to answer your questions.” Daphne frowns.  
“Don’t you want to use that favor yourself?”  
“What would I use it for?”  
“I don’t know, you’re the 1500-year-old god, I’m sure there’s something better you can get from her.” Loki throws his head back and his single, short laugh nearly makes the sky rumble. He lets go of Daphne and scratches the back of his head.  
“I have want for nothing other than your safety and happiness. If answers will ease your mind then it is answers I will claim for you.”

“How about Somm’s death?”  
“She’s a sorceress, Daphne,” he says as he shakes his head. “Not a genie. She cannot grant wishes.” Daphne’s hands creep up to hug herself. The cold is really starting to get to her. Loki notices and makes a large knitted scarf appear from thin air. He gently places it around her shoulders and Daphne gratefully lets herself get wrapped up. “Since when do you propose killing someone?” He asks quietly, frowning as he attends to her. Daphne purses her lips.  
“Kind of realized that letting people live if they’re a threat to me, only causes more problems.” Loki laughs sarcastically.  
“David?” Daphne nods slowly and sighs while looking down.  
“If I let you kill him, my life would’ve been so much easier.” Suddenly, Loki’s hands hold her upper arms. He squeezes. When she looks up at him, he’s incredibly close.  
“Do not lose your innocence, child. It fits you ill.” Tears distort Daphne’s sight as she gasps.  
“But it’s true.” He squeezes even tighter, forcing her to keep looking at him. His expression is stern, but not belittling.  
“Death is easy. Cold. That is what I do.” He lets go of her with one hand and brings it to the scarf he just conjured, readjusting it to cover her more. “You are warmth. You choose life and love. You are good. You are the part of me that I gave away all those years ago.” He pauses, cocking his head before repeating what he said to her when he had first abducted her. He doesn’t look her in the eye anymore. Instead, he looks down as she studies his face. “Death does not deserve you.”

“I hurt everyone I care about, Loki. _Everyone._” Daphne pushes herself against Loki and he glances apologetically at the Avengers on the other rooftop as he wraps his arms around her in an embrace before looking down Daphne again. “David, my dad, Tao,” she sobs. “Pe-heter- It’s all my fault-“  
“No, child,” he sighs, holding on to her jolting body. “It is mine.” He wonders who this Tao person is, but decides not to let her elaborate right now.  
“But- bu-hut, you didn’t make me on purpose.”  
“Tell me, dearest, do you hurt everyone on purpose?” Daphne stays quiet for a second.  
“No,” she says quietly.  
“Then how is this all your fault?” She doesn’t reply. Loki feels the rising pressure of Odin calling out to him as he looks up at the sky again. He’s going to have to leave Midgard soon if he wants to prevent anyone coming to earth to bring him back to Asgard. Loki gently pushes Daphne away from him and bends his knees until he is at eye level with her. “You do not have to come with to Ravir. I can ask the questions you want answered for you.” Daphne immediately and violently shakes her head.  
“No- no, I need to do this myself.”

Loki’s hand finds his way up to wipe the tears off Daphne’s face with his thumb. His other hand caresses her hair.  
“Are you really sure?”  
“I…” Daphne looks down and bites the inside of her cheek. “I think it’s better if I leave earth for a little bit anyways.”  
“For the spider?” Loki asks with a slight scoff. Daphne looks to the other roof. The Avengers are lined up, waiting for Daphne and Loki to finish their private conversation. However, Iron Man can hear everything they’re saying through the phone call that’s still going. Daphne’s grateful that he’s keeping it a secret. Peter would go feral if he heard her say she wants to leave earth. And that’s the exact reason why she should. She’s doing this for him. 

Daphne makes eye contact with Peter and smiles slightly. Though, her eyes don’t join the smile. Peter looks at her worried, which immediately has her turn back to Loki.  
“I don’t want him to lose himself,” she whispers. Her voice is shaky and she closes her eyes. “I won’t allow myself to be selfish at his expense.” Loki grins as he places a strand of hair behind her ear.  
“Careful, child. Your way of speaking is starting to resemble mine.” Daphne chuckles, which makes Loki feel slightly relieved. She can still laugh. “When do you wish to go?”  
“Now.” Loki’s eyes go wide for a second and his eyebrows raise all the way up.  
“Now?” He eyes her outfit and bare feet. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”  
“The sooner the better,” she pushes out. “Besides… I don’t think I’d still want to go if I looked Peter in the eyes. Or my dad…”  
“You don’t wish to let him know you are well? There are hundreds of witnesses who just saw you be taken away by a sorceress.”

Daphne grabs her phone and looks at it. The call is still going.  
“Mr. Stark can let everyone know I’m okay. That… That I’m just away for a little bit.”  
“You don’t have to do this.” Loki takes a step back.  
“I do,” she breathes as she closes her eyes. There is a short silence. The cold December wind blows gently and tousles Daphne’s hair. “The Christmas presents I got everyone are under my bed.” Her voice cracks. “I keep my passwords in a little green notebook that I hide in my desk drawer.” She purses her lips. Her chest tightens. “And… And I think… I don’t know for sure, Mr. Stark- I’m… I’m scared tha-“ she interrupts herself as she shakes. “I think David’s parents are in the cellar of the Metropolitan Opera. David… He described it in his poems. The ones he wrote for me. Ju-just me. He said he’d lock me up there- I just… I just realized when-“ She squeezes her eyes even further shut and stops herself from continuing that thought.

“Tell Peter that I love him,” Daphne mumbles. “And tell my dad that I’m sorry for putting him through all of this.” She's trembling. Forcing her way through. “Please.” Daphne looks up at the other rooftop. Iron Man nods slowly.  
“As much as I hate this idea...” Tony starts. All the Avengers look at him suddenly, not expecting him to talk. “...I do agree that this is for the best.” Daphne can see everyone’s mouths move. Asking Tony what’s going on, why is he saying that? Peter looks at Daphne with questioning eyes.  
“Thank you, Mr. Stark.” Daphne says quietly. “For everything.” She sniffs once. “Hopefully, I won’t be away too long.”  
“I hope so too, kid.”  
“Are you ready to go, Daphne?” Loki asks. He’s feeling the impending doom of Odin’s anger with his disappearance on his shoulders. Daphne nods once and holds out one hand to him. With the other she holds onto her phone and the scarf that’s wrapped around her. He takes her hand carefully in his own and she takes a step towards him.

Loki wraps his other arm around her and holds her tightly.  
“I have never jumped realms with someone else before, so I am taking us to Central Park for Heimdall to bring us to Ravir, is that okay with you?” Loki asks quietly. Daphne looks back at the other rooftop again and nods. She brings up the phone for everyone to see. So they would understand what Tony said to her. Before she ends the call with Tony he says one more thing.  
“Oh, Daph, if you run into him, please say hi to Thor from me.”

Peter’s eyes go wide when he realizes what this means. What Daphne is going to do. _No._ Without second thought, he rushes to the edge of the building and he jumps with all he has. Time seems to slow down when he makes eye contact with her. She’s teary-eyed and mouths:  
“I’m sorry, Pete,” before she and Loki disappear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas, Peter...


	90. Anything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter shows more and more proof of Loki's theory. Loki and Daphne arrive at Ravir's palace. Ravir's plan is finally coming together.

Nothing at all and everything at once. That’s what Peter’s feeling right now. He’s frozen in place on the rooftop, like a deer in head lights. Daphne just disappeared in Loki’s arms to God knows where. Based on what Tony said, chances are she’s on her way to Asgard. Where there are hundreds if not thousands of sorcerers who could use her. Loki must have planned this from day one. Lie about his limitations around her and then just take her away. Away from earth. Away from Peter.

Loki mentioned monthly visits and some kind of deal that he and Daphne had somehow struck. This means Daphne has met up with Loki more often since the kidnapping. Why did she not tell Peter about this? Why would she lie to him? Keep secrets? Is this why she wasn’t angry with him for not telling her he’s Spider-Man? Because she had a big secret as well? Peter’s chest aches. Did she not trust him enough to tell him this? Did… Did she not love him as much as she said she did?

“Kid…” Iron Man appears behind Peter, but Peter doesn’t move. “Talk to me.” There’s a pause as the wind blows between them. Peter stays glued in his place, staring at the exact spot where Daphne just stood. His breath is shaky.  
“Why didn’t you stop her?” His voice cracks. He can hear Iron Man’s suit move mechanically.  
“Pete, she wanted this herself.” Tony steps out of the suit and stands next to Peter, giving the teen a worried look. “She brought it up.” Peter finally turns his head to look at Tony. The billionaire’s stomach turns into a pit when he sees the emptiness in Peter’s eyes. Completely void of any emotion.

“And you believe that this was all her idea?” Peter breathes.  
“I do.”  
“She’s been keeping this ‘deal’ a secret from all of us, right? Who knows what Loki’s done to her while we weren’t paying attention!” Suddenly, Stephen Strange lands next to them.  
“Their dynamic is different, Peter,” he sighs. “Apparently, they can tell when they lie to each other and he cannot take from her.”  
“You believe him too?!” Peter exclaims. An uncomfortable feeling creeps up on Tony. Even though Peter’s voice is soaked with emotion, his eyes are still empty. Blank. All of this only seems to prove what Loki said. Daphne affected him. In a bad way. Tony could punch himself for encouraging Peter in this relationship. He should’ve stopped this sooner.  
“I see no reason not to.” Stephen purses his lips. “He did create her after all.”

Peter takes a few steps away from Tony and Stephen, slowly shaking his head.  
“Am I the only one who actually cares about the fact that Asgard is crowded with sorcerers?”  
“They’re not really going to Asgard, though,” Tony butts in. “I was joking.” Peter’s eye twitches.  
“Where are they going then?!” Tony sucks at his teeth before reluctantly replying.  
“Ravir.”

…

“Loki… Back already?” The golden mist shifts as she feels Daphne’s presence in her palace. “With a guest?” She solidifies quickly and approaches the Ice Prince of Asgard. He carries a sleeping Daphne in his arms.  
“She had a very long day. Lost consciousness on the way here. She’s exhausted,” he sighs. “But I did not want to bring her to Asgard.” He looks up at the golden sorceress. “Could she rest here while we discuss some things?” Ravir floats until she’s standing opposite Loki and Daphne and she raises her hand to brush some of Daphne’s hair out of her face. The Zephyr sleeps peacefully. Ravir looks up seductively to meet Loki’s stare.  
“I was hoping to show you the bedroom under other circumstances, but very well…” She smirks and turns. Gold dust falls down around her and Loki quickly takes a step back to prevent the dust from falling onto the teen in his arms.

Loki swiftly follows Ravir through the golden palace until they reach a large, golden door, that opens automatically as they approach. The bedroom behind it is exactly the same as the rest of the palace. Spacious, bright and completely made of gold. In the middle stands a bed that seems softer than any royal bed Loki has ever slept on in Asgard, even though it looks like it’s solid metal. Loki follows Ravir into the room and eyes the sorceress before gently placing Daphne into the soft sheets. She’s still wearing her torn, blue gala dress and her feet are bare, but when her body hits the mattress she sighs gratefully and curls up.

“Precious child…” Ravir mumbles as her hand caresses the bed. “Have you told her yet?” Loki glares at Ravir and what she implies. He’s not in the mood to play along with her feigned ignorance.  
“You owe me a favour.” Ravir raises her eyebrows and smirks cheekily.  
“Do I?”  
“Stop playing games, Ravir,” he says calm and collected. “You broke your promise to me. You already told her what she is.”  
“Did the Zephyr tell you about how I toyed with her head too?” Loki’s jaw clenches. “She is a disturbingly easy target. Soaks up commands like a sponge.”  
“What did you make her do?” Loki says through gritted teeth. Ravir laughs softly.  
“Nothing.” She shrugs. “I tested her will and though she has a good anchor point to come out of it, she falls…” Ravir saunters towards Loki and cups his jaw. There’s a seductive croak in her voice. “Sooo… Easily.” Loki cocks one eyebrow at the golden sorceress before she slides her hand down to his chest, squeezing his leather coat under her fingers. “But then again… I am very compelling, am I not?” She smirks.

“I need to appease Odin,” Loki states, completely unfazed by Ravir’s endeavours to seduce him. “I have been away from Asgard too long.”  
“You trust me with the child?” Ravir floats away from Loki and angles her head.  
“I trust you will guard her because you need her to be protected.” Ravir chuckles amused.  
“And why do you think I need her safe?” Loki turns away and walks to the door.  
“You need her to kill Somm,” he replies simply. “Not that she will. I am still working on the alternative." He rolls his shoulders. "But she cannot kill him if she is his thrall.”  
“I only need a minute for her to lose herself to me,” Ravir tries as she follows Loki out of the room, leaving Daphne asleep by herself. “I could very easily make her mine before he makes her his.”  
“You won’t.”  
“And why won’t I?” Ravir smirks. Her plan is working. She has him wrapped around her finger without him even realizing.  
“Because you would not try to stop me from leaving if that was the case.”

…

A familiar, warm feeling spreads through Daphne’s body. She feels like she’s floating, while being completely enveloped in the pleasant comfort of the summer sun. There’s a dreamy smile on her face as she breathes in clouds of sweetness. She doesn’t open her eyes, but somehow, she knows she’s surrounded by gold. _Ravir…_ She thinks. The realization repeats itself in her head. It makes her heart beats fast in a slight panic. _Ravir!_ She opens her eyes quickly and tries to sit up straight, but something holds her down. She can’t move.

Daphne is in what looks to be a bedroom, completely made of gold. Even the bed she’s in seems to be made of solid gold, yet the sheets are the softest thing Daphne’s ever felt in her hands. Her eyes dart around the room. Her heart still pounds fast in her chest at her inability to move. When did she get to Ravir’s palace? When did she fall asleep? How long has she been sleeping?  
“Loki?” She quietly calls out and waits. No answer. “Loki, are you there?”  
“He had some urgent things to attend to.” Ravir’s voice whispers in Daphne’s ear. A chill rushes through Daphne’s body.

“Where is he?” Daphne asks carefully. It seems like there is no one there in the room with her, but Daphne feels a warm hand softly petting her hair.  
“That is not important, child.” The hand slowly makes its way down and massages Daphne’s shoulder, which immediately relaxes. Daphne is turning into putty under the attention.  
“It is, though,” she tries as she blinks a few times. She needs to keep it together. “Stop doing this,” she sighs. Daphne quietly swears at herself, completely aware she’s already losing. Her breathing steadies, as if she’s asleep again. Golden fog clouds her mind. She doesn't even get the chance to think about... About...  
“No, it is not. Stop thinking... It is not important right now.” The invisible hand cups Daphne’s jaw, while a finger traces incomprehensible patterns on her skin.  
“It is not important right now,” Daphne repeats breathlessly.  
“I am all that matters right now.”  
“You are all that matters right now…” Daphne's words lulled and slow. Ravir chuckles.

“I am starting to understand why Midgardians make such perfect Zephyrs. So strong… Yet so easy…” Ravir’s golden fog appears and slowly solidifies above Daphne. Ravir cocks her head and smiles open mouthed, letting her tongue glide over her teeth. Daphne doesn’t respond. She doesn’t know what to say. “I am going to let you in on a little secret.” Ravir’s nose nearly touches Daphne’s.  
“Se- secret?” Daphne mutters. Her brows curl slightly, but she doesn’t break eye contact with the sorceress. Her golden eyes are too beautiful to look away from.  
“Do not worry, Zephyr.” Ravir smiles kindly. “Your conscious mind will forget I ever told you this. All I need from you is your guarantee that you will do it for me when the time is there. That is when you will remember everything I am going to tell you.” Ravir’s hands hold Daphne’s head, clouding it with more submission. “You will do anything for me, won’t you, child?”  
“Anything…”  
“Anything.” Ravir smiles. Her plan is finally coming together. After all these years. “There is something I need you to do.”  
“Okay…” Daphne replies. It’s barely a whisper. Her lips remain parted.  
“But first,” Ravir pauses to let out a shaky, excited breath. “I am going to tell you how to kill Somm.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Secret AgendaTM? 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
> 
> Did you see this coming? Do you think her intentions are good? Bad? Why? I'm curious to see what you think. Things are... Finally coming together... 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀


	91. Exertion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter's been awake for 42 hours straight and it's starting to take a toll.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More little throwbacks to earlier chapters!

“Where is my nephew, Stark?!” May stomps the floor of lab 44, tears streaming down her face. “Where’s Peter?!” Tony’s eye twitches and he purses his lips, biting down on his cheek. He raises his shoulders defensively and cocks his head with a frown.  
“Peter’s out in the city, Mrs. Parker,” he replies politically.  
“On Christmas Eve?!” May pulls at her hair. “I haven’t seen him since he left for that gala yesterday! I know you’re trying to find Daphne but he can’t just do this?!”  
“He’s not looking for Daphne.” May stops in her tracks and stares at Tony wide-eyed.  
“Wha-?”  
“Daphne is not on earth right now.” Tony rolls his shoulders and takes a step away from the fuming aunt. “Pete’s been confronted with some troubling news and honestly as much as I wanted and tried to talk to him, he doesn’t want to hear it.”  
“What news?!” May bends forward slightly. “Talk to me!” Tony straightens his back and runs his hand through his hair. He glances at the TV in the corner. 

The news covered everything that happened the night before. Footage of Daphne’s “abduction” went viral within hours, and comments brimmed with theories on the identity of the new sorceress; why she specifically took Daphne. The internet is following the money faster than Tony can make it disappear. Damage control can only do so much once the information is online. They found out about what Peter and Daphne are to each other. Sure, that’s an obvious one. But then Peter’s connected to Tony. Tony is connected to the Avengers. Gossip sites jumped to examining Daphne’s and Peter’s role in all of this, because “there simply must be more to it.” Loki came out unscathed; He was carefully disguised. The sheer thought that the demi-god gets away with this makes Tony growl.

Spider-Man’s been on patrol for… Too long. And he’s acting very much unlike Spider-Man usually does. He’s more aggressive. Less defense. More offense. He’s never in one place more than ten minutes. He’s quick. Relentless. Restless. He fortunately still hasn’t really hurt anyone, but he’s all over the place. The fact that the news caught onto this, worries Tony. Peter's not well. Both physically and mentally. He dodges anybody who tries to call him, refuses help of any kind, and Tony doesn’t want to shut down the suit. The kid would just keep going without it. A terrible coping mechanism, Tony has to admit, but he can’t blame Peter. Tony wouldn’t dare to imagine what he’d do if he was confronted like Peter was.

And then, of course, there is the baffling news of the statue of a middle-aged couple, clutching each other tightly and holding hands, completely made of silver, that was hauled out of the Metropolitan Opera with all kinds of machinery. S.H.I.E.L.D. made the very unfortunate mistake of not covering up all of the top of the research area. Paparazzi quickly got their footage and are now speculating what the statue is. Why was no one allowed near it? Why would a simple, silver statue be kept a secret like this? Tony hopes with all he has that no one will ever find out that it was David’s parents. The current theory among S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers is that one of them touched David. When the other parent grabbed onto the hand of the cursed one, they were stuck together, which resulted into them continuously feeding each other the curse and ultimately turning them to silver completely. To say it was a tragic end was an understatement.

Peter is scared. Tony knows. What if Peter really never loved Daphne? What if everything they’ve been going through was a manipulation that neither of them had control over? Was Peter’s protective behavior natural? Or was it forced onto him by his addicted mind? Was he really addicted? Did any of this really apply to him? Or did Loki toy with the teen’s mind to throw him off? Tony can’t deny Peter’s different behavior since he met Daphne, but Tony had always brushed it off as hormones. Puppy love.

_“Peter, you’re sixteen and also radioactive. Your senses are heightened and you might not notice the effect she has on you, but everyone else does.” Peter looks at Tony confused, so he continues after taking a deep breath. “You’re seriously going to tell me you haven’t noticed your emotional outbursts?”  
“My what-now?” Something in Peter snaps and he tenses up again.  
“Anger, Pete. You’ve been angry a lot more.” Peter clenches his jaw.  
“Angry?!” Peter's eyes go wide as he scoffs and looks away for a second. “What- so I’m not allowed to feel anymore? I’m not one of your robots, Tony!”_

“I don’t think I’m the right person to explain it,” Tony sighs to May. “He… He needs some time.”  
“Needs some ti- excuse you?!” May exclaims, her hands raised above her head. “He’s supposed to be at home! Did he even get any sleep?!” Tony’s shoulders droop and he falls backwards into his chair. He rubs his face with his hand, trying to find the right words and ultimately failing.  
“Do you think I get any sleep when he’s out there?” His face contorts. “Like this?!”  
“Don’t make this about yourself, Stark! I haven’t slept either!” May drops to her knees in front of him, gasping for air. “He’s my boy, Tony, he’s all I have left. What in the world made him so upset?”

…

“Peter, I highly advise you take a break.”  
“Karen, please, stop,” Peter groans as he swings through the same street for the billionth time. It’s Christmas Eve. Or well; night. Petty crimes have dropped immensely when the thugs realized Spider-Man’s out and about full time at the moment. Even cops made note of it in their radio communication. Karen has been bugging him forever. Next to his thoughts and anxieties haunting him constantly, the computer won’t leave him alone.  
“You have been awake for 42 hours and you have not eaten in 27. You are damaging yourself.”  
“Don’t care. Mute.”

Peter may have been by himself for way too long now, but he doesn’t feel alone. Instead, his mind is racing constantly, never giving him a break. He doesn’t get the time to feel alone. There are too many thoughts in his head and it keeps him on edge. He won’t allow himself to breathe. Peter hoped kicking some thug butts would ease his tension. Relieve him of the constant stress he’s currently going through. His entire body aches, but not just from overworking himself. A jolt of pain crashes through him whenever he thinks of _her._ And unfortunately for him, he thinks about her. A lot.

“Tony disabled mute 36 hours ago and asked me to give you regular updates on your well-being.” When Peter doesn’t reply, already knowing the spiel, the AI continues dryly. “You are not well.”  
“Mute.”  
“Mute is disabled.” Peter’s breath hitches and he nearly crashes into a building. He keeps swinging as fast as he can, trying to find the next criminals to beat up. “Peter, you’re-“  
“Mute.”  
“Mute is disabled.” Peter blinks fast. All the lights of the cars, all the sounds of the city – everything; It’s overwhelming. His heartbeat pounds loud yet muffled between his ears. A small whine escapes his throat. “You’re-“  
“Mute!”  
“Mute is disabled.” Peter thwips again, but nothing comes out of his web-shooters. He gasps for air when he realizes what Karen had been trying to tell him. “You’re out of web fluid.” He reaches for his waist, where he stores his spare vials, but finds he used all of them in all of his hours out in the city.

Gravity always wins in the end. Spider-Man loses height at a disturbingly quick speed and the people on the street below him notice. They shriek at the realization that their friendly neighborhood hero is dropping without a means of saving himself. Peter looks through half lidded eyes at the cars that are approaching him rapidly. He takes a deep breath, knowing the crash won’t kill him, but it’ll hurt. He will break a few bones. He’ll be fine. He just needs to get some new fluid and he’ll be out again in no time. He preps himself and closes his eyes, readying himself for the impending impact. Right before he expects to hit the concrete, he thinks of her again. Telling him not to do anything stupid when he’s out there as Spider-Man. She told him that every time he went on patrol. _Daphne._

...

Peter frowns with his eyes still closed. Whatever he expected to happen; it didn’t. He’s not crumpled on the ground. He didn’t even get hit with anything. The speed he felt, disappeared completely. But there was no crash. He slowly opens his eyes, realizing he’s floating mid-air. He jolts, turns and twists until he sees the magic surrounding him and the man who had conjured it.

“Stop being so frustratingly irresponsible.” Stephen lands next to the teen and lets go of him, which makes Peter fall the last bit to the ground. It wasn’t more than 3 feet. Spider-Man immediately sits up straight and pulls in his legs.  
“Leave me alone.”  
“You’re going to get yourself killed and Tony doesn’t know what to do about it.”  
“So, he sent you?” Peter scoffs. Stephen replies with a scoff of his own.  
“He’s too proud for that.” Strange cocks an eyebrow. “Besides, the guy has too many traumas to properly deal with other people’s. He tries, trust me. But he’s not a doctor.”  
“If Mr. Stark didn’t send you, then why are you here?” The people who had just watched Spider-Man fall 6 stories down start to gather around the sorcerer and the hero.

“I happen to know a thing or two about brains.” Stephen walks towards Peter and offers his hand. “And magic.” Spider-Man refuses to take Strange’s hand, and stands up by himself. He wobbles a little and shakes his head to get rid of his blurry sight. “And health,” Stephen adds a little condescendingly.  
“I don’t need help.” Peter’s jaw clenches.  
“You don’t want help. That’s two different things.” Stephen crosses his arms and cocks his head, waiting for Peter to reply. Instead, Spider-Man turns and walks away, making the Sorcerer Supreme roll his eyes. Stephen starts following the teen.  
“Can’t you see I _want_ to be alone?!” Spider-Man exclaims aggravated. People are intrigued as they follow the heroes and the conversation.

“You’re putting yourself at risk, _Spider-Man_.” His condescending tone is really starting to get to Peter. “So, you either stop this nonsense and go with me to Avengers Tower or I am going to follow you around until you collapse.”  
“And what will you do when I collapse?” Peter still doesn’t face Stephen as he strides over the concrete. He’s starting to regret he didn’t bring more web-fluid. Shaking off Doctor Strange would have been a lot easier that way.  
“I will take you to Avengers Tower.” Spider-Man stops walking and whips around to face Stephen. He has to look up and his exhaustion makes him unable to hold an intimidating facade. “It’s either going to be now, out of free will, or when you can’t control your body anymore. You decide.” Peter’s sight is still blurred and his eyelids are heavy. He’s not sure how much longer he can go. The adrenaline is subsiding and his body is starting to feel like it weighs the 25 tons he is only just able to carry. _25 tons,_ his mind repeats. His shoulders jolt and his face contorts, as Daphne’s image flashes in front of him.

“I don’t know what to do,” he admits as he looks down. His voice cracks and he feels embarrassed that there are people around to witness this side of Spider-Man.  
“That’s okay.” Stephen looks to the side and glares at the crowd, which makes them take a step back.  
“I’m… I’m not-“ Peter’s knees buck and Stephen catches him quickly. Spider-Man's muscles tense and relax at a quick pace, but not quickly enough to be considered shivering. Exertion. Doctor Strange is talking to him, but he can’t hear anything anymore. He can’t see anything anymore. It’s like he’s in a void. The only thing his senses allow him to perceive is his own heartbeat, slow and loud, and the unexpected lingering touch of Daphne’s hands on him when they slow danced at the gala. How long ago was that? It feels like forever… 

_"Forever's a long time, Daph," he mutters as he squishes his cheek by resting it on top of her head. Daphne sighs content.  
"Forever's all I want with you..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Peter Parker ):


	92. Withdrawals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter loses control. Loki informs the Avengers of Daphne's situation and Peter needs to drink a potion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving this bit along quickly! ^_^ I have written a synopsis for everything that's going to lead up to the grand finale. Be prepared, I'm guessing this fic will have another 50k words coming up! But I'm very happy with how the fic is progressing and I hope you are too!

Peter sits on the couch in the Avengers Tower penthouse. He’s still wearing his Spider-Man suit, but the mask has been tossed on the side table by Tony, revealing his pale, sunken in face and large bags under his eyes. Peter’s staring ahead at nothing in particular. He’s shaking from the cold and the lack of pretty much anything that keeps a person going. Food, water, sleep; he hasn’t had any of that in way too long. Stephen studies Peter from an arm chair, opposite the couch. May sits next to Peter, holding him tightly, but he can’t really feel her. All he feels is Daphne’s hands on his waist. All he sees is the image of her and Loki disappearing. If he wasn’t so dehydrated, he would be crying right now, but there’s no fuel in his body anymore. He wishes he could sleep. But he’s too exhausted to actually find any rest.

“Peter,” May tries as she pets his tousled hair. “I’m so sorry.”  
“Don’t be,” he replies simply. His voice is coarse. Tony arrives with a glass of water but Peter doesn’t take it. Instead, he looks away from his mentor.  
“Kid, you gotta drink something.” Peter shakes his head slightly. Tony groans in frustration and squats in front of his protégé. “I’m not letting you harm yourself like this. You either chug the glass or I’m putting you in a hospital bed.” Peter’s eyes dart to the glass.  
“Not thirsty.”  
“Yes, you are.” Tony shoves the glass in front of Peter’s face. “Drink.” Peter hesitantly takes the beverage and stares into the glass from the top, seeing his Spider-Man suit legs through it, distorted. He brings the water closer to his face and his lips gratefully let the moisture through. He only takes a small sip, though, before reaching out to hand the glass back to Tony. The billionaire refuses to take it, making Peter half drop his arm in his lap, barely holding on to the glass.  
“Pete, that’s not gonna cut it,” May says with a frown as she gently rubs his back. “Could you at least down this one for me, please?”  
“Don’t want-“  
“Then what do you want?” Tony pleads. Peter stares vacantly at Tony, unsure of what to answer.

“I think we all know what he wants,” Stephen sighs. Tony raises an eyebrow and turns to the doctor.  
“You’re saying the kid’s going through withdrawal?” The word makes Peter look up from the water. For the first time the adults see emotion on his face. Fear.  
“No- no, I’m fine, it’s not like that-“  
“You’re not fine. Stop lying to yourself,” Stephen scolds. “Now drink the damn water, eat a damn apple and go to goddamn bed, Parker.” Peter looks at the doctor like a deer in head lights.  
“Stephen!” May exclaims weakly. She knows the sorcerer is right. Peter closes his eyes to shut out the conversation. He absentmindedly clutches the glass a little too hard and with a loud snap, it shatters, covering him and Tony in water and broken glass.  
“Jesus, kid!” Peter’s eyes flutter open and he sees the blood dripping out of his closed fist. He stares at his hand, not believing what he just did. A faint stutter escapes his mouth.  
“I- I’m sorry, I-“  
“Catch him,” Stephen orders, making everyone’s attention shift to the sorcerer. He waves his hand and suddenly all of Peter’s muscles lose tension as he drops forward, off the couch, into Tony’s arms.

…

“Maybe it wasn’t a good idea for Daphne to just… Leave like this,” Tony sighs out loud as he eyes Peter, who lays eerily still in his bed. The induced sleep left him completely immobile and Tony could swear he could feel the kid’s distress at his lack of control of the current situation.  
“If he truly is addicted, then yes, that was rather stupid.” Stephen rolls his shoulders. “The idea is that you reduce the intake of drugs to make it easier. Stopping abruptly like this is hard on the body.”  
“I know how rehab works, Doc.”  
“Then you also know that he could relapse more easily once she comes back.”  
“You know Daphne. I’m sure that – right now – she’s figuring out a way to help Peter.” Tony crosses his arms and bites the inside of his cheek, still not looking away from his boy. Stephen cocks his head and nods.  
“There’s no guarantee there’s a way out of this, though. If she can’t fix this issue, you’re going to have to keep them apart.” Tony’s face contorts at the mere idea of having to keep these kids separated after everything they’ve been through together. Everything they felt for each other. Or… Thought they felt for each other. Stephen sighs, before continuing. “Permanently.”

…

Days pass and worry about what Daphne and Loki are up to out there grows with everyone. It took Peter until after New Year’s to start feeling better. Tony and Stephen are still unsure if Peter’s suffering from a broken heart or the addiction, though they both lean towards the second one, no matter how much Peter rejects the idea. Thankfully, Peter’s finally functioning again, even if it’s only slightly. On January 3rd, Peter walks into the penthouse, to find an unexpected yet still expected visitor.

“Ah, there you are.” Loki smiles. It’s uncharacteristic. Weird. The demi-god is surrounded by a majority of the Avengers. And Derek. Peter can’t help himself. He scans the room for _her._ “She’s not here, child.” Loki cocks his head and takes a step towards the teen. “For your sake, might I add.”  
“Where-“  
“You get to see her when you’ve taken this.” Loki holds up a small vial. Peter’s first thought is to rush to Loki and yank it out of his hands, but he shouldn’t. He needs to stay collected. A wicked grin spreads on Loki’s face when he sees the boy struggling with himself. “There’s some things we learned when we were with Ravir.” Loki pockets the potion again, trying not to chuckle at the quiet whine escaping Peter’s lips.  
“Please,” Stephen says sarcastically. “Do tell us.”

“Early Summer.”  
“What?” Tony crosses his arms and frowns.  
“Ravir did not exactly tell us this, but she made it very clear.” Loki nods at the pocket he just put the potion into. “One of these lasts about two months. She gave us three vials and consequently told us these would last Peter until Daphne is ready.”  
“So… June?” Derek asks quietly.  
“Or May… Or early July.” Tony adds. The billionaire cocks an eyebrow at Loki. “When will we know she’s ready?”  
“Daphne will know when she is. We won’t.”  
“So, she could keep it from us?” Natasha asks confused.  
“Not really.” Loki clears his throat, obviously not happy with what he’s going to say next. “Somm knows when she will be ready. He will come for her.” His hands gesture gracefully as he speaks. “Daphne is not stupid. She will tell you. Ravir explained to her what it will feel like for her once she becomes ready. Based on that, I have no doubt she will be scared.”  
“What’s it like then?” Sam crosses his arms and purses his lips.  
“Daphne spent a lot of time with Ravir alone, in order to create the potion for Peter. I am not aware of everything they discussed. I only know what Daphne told me. She seemed troubled by it, but did not tell me.”

“Why were you not there when they made the stuff?” Tony gestures vaguely at Loki’s pocketed vial. Loki scoffs amused.  
“Purity. That, and I personally have a dislike for potions.”  
“You left Daphne with a highly dubious and very deadly sorceress because you don’t like potions?”  
“As I said,” Loki says with raised eyebrows. “Daphne is not stupid. Simple, maybe. But all of you are simple.” Multiple Avengers scoff at the comment. “And someone needed to collect the ingredients for the potion as they were making it.”  
“Next time you lead with being an errand boy.” Tony rolls his eyes, but something about it still doesn’t feel right to him. Loki’s still holding something back.  
“Anything else we need to know before you leave?” Steve asks. Loki pushes his hand into his pocket and takes out the three vials. He walks to Peter and hands him one.  
“What’s in it?” Stephen asks suddenly; obviously distrusting of the contents. Loki eyes the Sorcerer Supreme.  
“You honestly do not want to know.”  
“Well, now that you said that; spill.” Tony sucks at his teeth. Loki’s shoulders hang low as he sighs aggravated.  
“You will not know most of these words.”  
“I will.” Stephen cocks an eyebrow, urging Loki to keep talking.

Loki names a few ingredients, but the further he gets into the list the slower he talks, as if he’s hoping he wouldn’t have to say the last ingredient.  
“It’s a person specific potion, Loki. You’re holding back.”  
“You will embarrass her more by making me say this than me, you know that, right?” Loki quips annoyed.  
“I want to know every ingredient before I let Peter drink it.” Loki glares at Stephen and swears silently when no one defends Daphne.  
“It is not about what part of her is in it, it is how the potion was created.”  
“Wait, so like, Daphne’s hair is in this or something?” Peter frowns. Loki scoffs once.  
“Balneae,” he says simply. Stephen pulls a face and Natasha nearly spits out her drink, making Loki chuckle. “Ah, so the spy knows Latin.”  
“Wha- what is-“ Peter stutters.

“She bathed in it.” Stephen presses his lips together. Peter stares at the vial in his hands. Slightly disgusted, yet intrigued. Tony nods once, suddenly understanding.  
“So, that’s why you weren’t there when they were making it.” Loki clears his throat and looks at his feet.  
“I am a man with manners,” is all he replies. Peter wants to say something before Stephen continues.  
“All those ingredients should make the potion blue, though.” The vial in Peter’s hands is a deep shade of purple.  
“Correct. The potion was blue, last I saw it. Ravir said it needed to be purple. No ingredients other than what Daphne has to offer could be added at that point.” A short and uncomfortable silence falls as they all realize what this means. Peter looks at his hand that bled less than ten days ago because of the glass he shattered. Loki clears his throat. “Please don’t ask about the scars on her palms.”

“She went through all of that… For me?”  
“She did.” Loki nods and looks away awkwardly. “Wouldn’t stop talking about you either.”  
“But…” Peter doesn’t look up from the vial. “What if I take this…”  
“Afraid you will not love her like you once did?” Loki places his hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Trust me, you will not. This little drink gets rid of the addiction. You _will_ feel different.”  
“What if I don’t love her anymore at all?” Peter looks up into Loki’s eyes and Loki can’t help but feel bad for the child. If Peter's love was truly based on the addiction, then he will simply be numb after this. And he will break her heart.  
“Daphne is aware of the possible outcomes.” Loki sighs as Peter hesitantly takes the lid off the vial, mentally preparing himself to take the shot. The teen frowns at the smell. “At least you will not be sick anymore.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for some heavy angst in the next chapter? 🙈


	93. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter takes the potion. Daphne waits for him in Central Park.

Before Stephen can interfere, Peter throws his head back and downs the vial in one go. The experience makes him squeeze both his eyes and his mouth shut and he shuffles in his place as he tries not to throw up.  
“Kid!” Tony takes a step towards Peter, who stumbles backwards with the vial clutched in his hand. When he finally manages to swallow, he opens his mouth, sticking out his tongue in disgust.  
“That’s- That was horrible!” His voice goes up a few octaves.  
“Of course, it is. Potions always taste terrible.” Loki rolls his eyes. Peter’s eye twitches and his head immediately shoots to the elevator. “Don’t go looking for her straight away, boy. It needs time to take effect. Give it an hour.” Peter pants and stretches his back while whining, realizing there are two more vials like this one that he has to take in the upcoming months. His tongue swirls around in his mouth, hoping the strange aftertaste will disappear soon.

“So,” Sam says quickly as he raises his eyebrows, trying to make light of the situation. “What’s it taste like?” Peter’s head turns to look at Sam and he frowns. Trying to figure out the flavors that ache his insides.  
“There’s something metallic about it. That’s- that’s probably the blood,” he breathes out. Peter licks his lips and softly bites down on his tongue. “And it’s… It’s _really_ sweet. Like, the kind that hurts your mouth.” Stephen folds his arms and clears his throat.  
“That’s probably the Varana, right?” He eyes Loki with one raised eyebrow. Loki looks down at his feet with his hands behind his back, ultimately unable to hide his wide grin.  
“That…” He looks up at Peter and cocks his head. “And also the sweetness that is your girlfriend- alright, got to go!” Before anyone can scold Loki for his inappropriate comment, the sorcerer disappears.

After an awkward silence, Tony claps his hands once. Loud enough to startle everyone.  
“Alright, so Daphne’s apparently somewhere in Central Park, which means I gotta get back to damage control. Need to arrange a press conference to get the eyes on me.” Peter nods slightly, still letting his tongue lick the insides of his mouth. The horrid taste is _everywhere_.  
“I’ll stay with Peter.” Stephen appears next to the young superhero, who looks up at him surprised.  
“To be honest,” Bruce butts in. “I think it’s better to have someone stick with Peter who’s not affected by Daphne. At all.” All heads turn to Sam and Natasha. Sam presses his lips on top of each other and Natasha glances him, knowing he doesn’t want to be on babysit duty. She rolls her eyes and steps forward.  
“I’ll take him.”

…

Daphne looks at her hands. Her legs are crossed under the bench she’s sitting on. It’s incredibly cold. And she’s impossibly nervous. Peter should be here soon and she has no idea what’s going to happen. How he’s going to feel. About her. The possibility that he doesn’t love her anymore is frightening. It would mean she has stolen his time, be it unknowingly. Daphne hopes with all hear heart that nothing will have changed. That Peter still loves her. Still cares for her. That he will kiss her like nothing has changed. She shouldn’t hope, though, she knows. It could only result in greater disappointment.

Daphne’s clothes are everything but earthly, but it’s all Loki could conjure up at the time of their arrival. Daphne would be lying if she said she didn’t like the clothes Ravir had for her, but they wouldn’t keep her warm here. Loki hated seeing her in the white gowns, which is probably why Ravir kept handing here those kinds of dresses. Always satins and chiffons. Always a bare back. Ravir loved to play with Daphne’s hair. She would always braid it, or put it in a half up-do. Loki always ended up taking it out or telling her to just put her hair in a ponytail. The more she looked like the vision they both had before the Halloween party, the sterner Loki would be about it. Loki still doesn’t know most of what happened while he was gone. Daphne never cared to explain. She doesn’t know why, though. There’s a good reason for her to tell him everything, but it just… Never seemed right to talk about. So, she didn’t.

_Peter. Peter. Peter._

His name bounces through her head like a screensaver and it’s driving Daphne insane. Loki should have informed the Avengers of everything by now. Peter should be on his way here. The thought makes Daphne’s stomach flip. She’s going to see him again. She’s going to have to look him in the eye and just accept whatever he says to her. Whatever emotions he has. She did disappear on him for over a week, worrying everyone. She deserves his anger, if he has it. Daphne takes a breath. A small cloud of condense forms in front of her mouth as she slowly lets go of it. She rubs her hands together and raises her shoulders, hiding her mouth in her scarf. Anger. She’d rather have Peter be furious with her than to not love her anymore. At least they could talk things through that way. If the feelings are gone, they’re gone. Everything they’ve been through will have been fake. At least… From his side. Her feelings for him won’t be gone. But he will be. And she’s just going to have to get over him. Still, she hopes.

All the sweet things he’s said to her. All the kisses and all the hugs. The late nights spent talking about their dreams and their future. How she would curl up at his side as she fell asleep on his chest, tracing the lines of his body, while he played with her hair. Daphne gasps quietly as she thinks about the pas de deux. She can still feel his hands ghost on her waist.

_Peter. Peter. Pe-_

Daphne perks up when she spots him, a hundred yards away, right in front of her. Natasha is with him and she has her hand on his shoulder. Daphne stands up quickly, but doesn’t move forward, unsure of what to do. She should probably leave this to him. It takes a few seconds, but Peter starts moving towards Daphne without Natasha. His movements are small. Held back. Unlike him. He doesn’t run for her like she expected him to and he doesn’t seem to look at her at all. He’s staring at the ground. Daphne’s stomach sinks. She clenches her jaw and waits for him to stand a little closer to her.

When he’s only a few feet away, she takes a small step forward and bends down slightly, trying to make eye contact.  
“Hey,” she says quietly. Peter’s mouth is hidden in his coat and he doesn’t reply. He does, however, finally look at her. Daphne sucks in a breath at his expression. It’s dull. Vacant. “I… I understand if you’re angry with me, Pete, I… I shouldn’t have left like that.” No response. “I’m sorry.” Peter frowns slightly, not taking his eyes off her now. It’s like he’s studying her, looking for something. Daphne’s bottom lip starts quivering and she continues:  
“I- I just… I needed answers. For both of us.” Daphne looks down and clenches her fist. “I learned a lot about myself and- and I wanted to help you because – fuck – I don’t want you to feel like I used you. I didn’t. I never meant to. I-“ Daphne’s rambling gets interrupted by Peter, abruptly hugging her. She doesn’t hug him back straight away as she looks to the side, trying to figure out what this means. Though, deep down, she knows. It's in how he holds her. Robotic. Detached. His head is not where it usually rests on her hair. He looks forward and his hands don’t roam her body like they used to.

Daphne holds back a sob.  
“It’s gone, isn’t it?” Her voice cracks as tears start forming in her eyes. She presses her lips on top of each other. “It’s gone,” she whispers. Peter softly pushes her away from him until they’re at an arm’s length from each other. He lets go of her and still stares at her with his empty eyes. She gasps quietly and immediately breaks eye contact, looking down at the golden scars in her palms.  
“I… I’m sorry,” she breathes as she gently removes the golden dove pin that kept her hair half up. She looks at it one more time before taking Peter’s hand and placing the pin in it. She curls his fingers around it and takes a step back. He’s still staring, not saying a word. “I’m sorry,” Daphne repeats. “For wasting your time.” She covers her mouth with her hand and hugs herself with the other as she turns to walk away with big strides, leaving Peter there in front of the bench. Still staring ahead and quietly questioning not only everything he did the past few months, but also this new void he is feeling. Is that where Daphne used to be?

Peter’s head finally turns to the direction Daphne left in and he can still see her in the distance. Her shoulders shake. Something in him wants to comfort her. But he doesn’t know what to do. He feels something nudge at his leg and he looks down to see an old golden retriever sitting by his side.  
“Peter?” Peter looks at where the voice comes from. Emma. “Peter, dearie, how have you been? I saw the press conference! I’m so relieved to hear Daphne’s okay!” The middle-aged bakery owner claps her hands excitedly. “Oh, please do come over to the shop soon, she deserves a whole cheese cake! On the house!” Peter manages to muster up a half smile, before he looks back at Daphne’s silhouette, disappearing in a crowd. His expression falters as he gives the dog a melancholic pet.  
“I… I don’t think we’ll be coming together, Emma.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not have listened to Say Something (the KHS version) while writing this chapter. Whoops.


	94. She's Lying And She Knows It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers get updated on the situation and the first day of school after the winter break.

“Those two love each other, Stephen.” Tony grabs a drink from the fridge. The sorcerer’s been particularly annoying about his comments the past hour. Tony can hardly imagine how messed up it would be if all the conversations he had with Peter about Daphne were based on addiction. And there’s a part of him that feels guilty for enabling the kid in all of that. Giving him tips on how to woo Daphne, how to dance with her, what flowers to buy her. He feels partially responsible and he hates it. “I’ll eat my shoe if they don’t walk out of that elevator holding hands and smooching.”

_Ding!_

Natasha walks back into the penthouse of Avengers tower. Her shoulders hang low and she sighs as all heads turn to her. Everyone in the room impatiently awaits what she’s going to say, but when she makes eye contact with Tony, his expression falters.  
“Oh, man-“  
“Would you like your shoe boiled or fried, Stark?” Stephen presses his lips into a smile and Tony can’t help but throw an orange his way. Stephen easily deflects it.  
“Was it that bad?” Steve sits against the arm rest of the couch, rubbing his hands together, not really knowing what else to do.  
“They’re teens,” Sam interrupts. “They’ll get over it, right?”  
“Sure, at some point, I guess,” Natasha says with a shrug. “But this does sit a whole lot different. Peter won’t have anything to get over. Daph’s gonna have to do this all by herself. And I gotta admit, I’ve never seen a break-up like that before.”  
“Like what?” Tony cocks his head.  
“I dunno.” Natasha walks to the kitchen area to grab herself a glass of cranberry juice. “Seen many in my time in the field, but this one just… Stung differently. Peter was pretty heartless.”

Tony stops in his tracks and holds the fridge door as Natasha opens it to put the orange juice back.  
“Peter? Heartless? You’re lying.” Natasha rolls her eyes and coughs once.  
“Wish I was.” She forces the door out of Tony’s hand and closes it before walking to everyone else at the sitting area. “He let her do all the talking and when she realized what was up, he let her run away after handing him back the dove pin.”  
“He… He didn’t say a word?” Steve stares at Natasha in disbelief as she drops herself on the couch next to where he leans. She sips the cranberry juice.  
“Didn’t even greet her.” Sam’s face contorts.  
“Rude.”  
“Maybe-“ Tony pauses to emphasize the word in his hypothetical. He saunters towards the couch. “-he realized he’s still angry with her for just leaving like that?”  
“Doesn’t excuse his behavior,” Bucky scoffs.  
“Didn’t say that,” Tony adds quickly. “He’ll turn around, I’m sure. He’ll get over it. Just give them some time.”

…

“Daphne! Thank God, you’re okay!” Sarah practically jumps on top of Daphne, who immediately tries to play it off. They’re in the hallways of Midtown, which is now the official SASS school of New York. Both the science _and_ the art students go here starting today and it’s the first day after winter break, which means everyone is still getting accustomed to it all.  
“Yeah, Ye- I’m fine-“ Daphne gently pushes her new old classmate off of her. Daphne wasn’t as excited anymore for Art Class to come to Midtown Tech. It meant she was going to have to stay at the same school as Peter, which increased her chances of running into him. Reminding her of what she’d done to him. And how she still loved him, after everything.

Every part of Daphne had hoped Peter would’ve run after her to stop her from walking away when they were still in Central Park. But no. He let her walk away. And now she’s going to have to accept that. Spending time with both him or his friends would only hurt her more, so she’s staying away from anything and anyone connected to Peter.  
“Where did the sorceress take you? Who was she? Why did she kidnap you?” Sarah starts shooting questions Daphne’s way and more classmates gather around her. Daphne’s breathing quickens and she doesn’t now where to look. Sure, she knows the story Tony made of it, but all of this is somehow already too much for her to handle.  
“I- I’d rather not talk about it,” she says quickly. In a spark genius, the perfect excuse pops up in her head. “Besides, I’m not allowed to talk about it.” She shrugs apologetically. “S.H.I.E.L.D.”  
“Man,” Tyrone butts in. “Fuck S.H.I.E.L.D., that bitch looked like me.” Daphne internally snorts at the comment. Loki really could be a bitch if he wanted to.  
“Only for like, two minutes.”  
“Yet she convinced you she was me!” Tyrone crosses his arms. “Am I really that easy to impersonate?” This time Daphne bursts out laughing.  
“I knew something was off, and that’s that.”  
“What do you mean that’s that?” Alice asks with her head cocked.  
“That’s that as in; that’s all your getting. You can ask me what you want, I can’t answer.” Daphne shakes her head with a forced smile. “S.H.I.E.L.D.’s got eyes and ears everywhere. I don’t wanna be thrown in jail.” Daphne shuts her locker door. “Just know I’m f…” 

Daphne can’t manage to finish her sentence when she spots Peter on the other side of the hallway. chatting with MJ. Her stomach twists. He’s laughing. Smiling. Like nothing happened. As if he’s already forgotten about her. Daphne’s breath hitches in her throat when he angles his head and makes eye contact with her. To her surprise, he sends her an apologetic look. She licks her lips and quickly turns away, not wanting another confrontation. She clutches her backpack to her chest and rushes off, away from the group of curious teenagers, until she can cut a corner, out of Peter’s line of sight. 

Sarah was right behind her. She followed the scene closely and her expression turns dark.  
“Daph?” Her voice is low. Threatening. “What’s up?” She places a gentle hand on Daphne’s shoulder and squeezes softly. “You and Pe-“  
“We’re not together anymore,” Daphne says quickly. Sarah frowns surprised, but doesn’t question it.  
“Do I fuck his ass up?”  
“No, no- It’s okay. He just…” Sarah’s eyebrows raise up as far as they can and she urges Daphne to continue. “He didn’t love me the way he thought he did.” Vague, but true.  
“So, he broke up with you?”  
“We broke up,” Daphne defends Peter quickly. This wasn’t his fault. This was _her_ fault. Sarah shakes her head rather violently.  
“No- _he_ broke you up.” Sarah glances back and purses her lips, seeming to mull something over in her head. “And I’m still gonna fuck him up.”  
“Don’t worry about it, Sarah, I’ll-“ Daphne takes a deep shaky breath. “I’ll get over him.” Daphne‘s face contorts. She’s lying and she knows it.

…

Daphne couldn’t help herself. She called in sick for ballet class that Tuesday. She’s not sure if Peter’s even still going, but just the idea that he might be there, scares her more than anything. He’s all she can think about. Every second of every minute of every hour of- SHUT UP! She can’t quiet down her brain. Everywhere she goes she sees his face and hears his voice, and she can still feel his fingers tangle in her hair. It used to be fine, thinking about him so much. Nice, even. It kind of felt like was watching over he, even if he wasn’t there with her. But now that she’ll never be able to hold him like she used to, it hurts.

God, she misses kissing him _so_ much. His soft lips pressed against hers, his tongue dancing with her own. His strong hands would lift her off the floor with ease and she’d have her legs wrapped around his body as they made out. She’d whisper his name and the vibrations of his chuckles would go right through her. All her yearning for him immediately turns sour when she realizes how bad of an influence, she must’ve had on him. If all of that was not what he really thought, then was whatever he said even true? His endless, sweet praises, which never failed to make Daphne blush, now feel insincere. Even hurtful. He probably didn’t think she was pretty at all. Or funny. Fuck, he probably hates her.

Daphne curls up in her bed, covering her face with the sheets. The pain in her chest is unbearable and she’s run out of tears to cry. But she figures that’s step one to the never-ending process of acceptance.

_I’ll get over him,_ she thinks as she lets out a dry sob. But she’s lying and she knows it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More coming soon! I actually already have the next chapter lined up! Was on a roll! Will maybe post it tomorrow already? Maybe Sunday. :)


	95. Dove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter tells Madame Touha everything

“Madame.” Peter quietly shuffles into Madame Touha’s office. He gently closes the door behind him and takes a breath. He came in here with a good reason. He wants to explain everything. And with everything he means _everything._ Madame Touha deserves that, with all the stuff that’s been going on with Daphne. “I-“  
“You’re done, Parker,” Madame Touha says simply from behind her desk. She cocks an eyebrow at him and he can feel her silent rage rattle his bones.  
“Wha-?”  
“What did I tell you?” Madame Touha crosses her arms and sits back with an accusatory look in her eye. “What did I tell you,” she repeats. “When you started ballet classes here?” Peter makes himself small, knowing very well what she’s getting at. Daphne had mentioned Madame Touha is practically her surrogate mother. It would be stupid to assume Madame Touha didn’t know about what happened between the two of them. It would also explain Daphne’s absence from today’s class.

“No dating,” Peter answers her question softly, fearing what she’s going to say next.  
“And why did I tell you that?”  
“Because you didn’t want me to distract your students.”  
“Peter…” Madame Touha threatens, with one cocked eyebrow.   
“You don’t want them to get hurt.”  
“And you hurt my girl, Pete,” she sighs. “I absolutely hate saying this but you have no idea how disappointed I am in you.” She pinches the bridge of her nose. “I thought you were different.”  
“I am!” Peter exclaims. “Did she tell you the whole story?”  
“She told me enough for me to know you made her think this was all on her!”

Peter stands frozen when the realization hits him that he didn’t think this through as well as he thought he did. But he can’t go back now.  
“Madame,” he says softly, headed for the corner of the room. “Please-“  
“I don’t know what you’re grabbing a chair for, Parker, I just told you, you’re done. I want you out of this school. Permanently. Now.” Peter’s head whips around to Madame Touha. Disbelief can be read all over his face. He decides to ignore her and puts the chair in front of Madame Touha’s desk.  
“-Allow me to explain the entire situation to you.” Madame Touha stands up with force, her chair rolls backwards and hits the wall with a loud thud. She inhales sharply.   
“Don’t make me grab my bat.” Peter continues to ignore her and sits down on the chair. He knows Madame Touha is aware she can’t force him out of that room and he realizes how intimidating that must be. And how scary he might seem right now.  
“Please.” His voice betrays him as it cracks and Madame Touha stares at him. The rage on her face doesn’t subside. Her fists are clenched, knuckles white. She doesn’t sit back down but nods once.  
“You have one chance to explain _everything._” Madame Touha points at him in an accusatory manner. “But it won’t matter what you say. Tonight was your last class.” Peter nods as he looks at his hands on his knees.  
“I won’t argue with that,” he mumbles. “We’re… We’re gonna have to go back quite far.” _The thunder strike._ He looks up at Madame Touha and presses his lips on top of each other. “I hope you have nowhere to be, Madame, we’re gonna be here for a while.”

…

“How did I not notice any of this?” Madame Touha is slouched in her office chair, staring at the ceiling. “And-“ She perks up and moves to sit up straight as she glances at Peter. “Why didn’t either of you tell me this?”  
“It’s… A lot,” Peter sighs as he runs his hands through his hair. He tugs at it slightly and winces when he pulls too hard and actually hurts himself. But he deserves it, he thinks.  
“Zephyr,” Madame Touha mutters.  
“You believe me?” Peter looks at the ballet master with a contorted face. This whole story sounded fantastical. Fake. He wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t trust a word he said. Especially with everything that’s happened with Daphne. It’s only fair Madame Touha would put Daphne first.  
“I know for certain that if I asked Daphne this, she would tell me the same. It all adds up and I see no reason why you would lie to me.”  
“Got nothing left to lose,” Peter manages to push out as he hides his face in his hands.

“And you really don’t feel anything for her anymore? At all?” Madame Touha looks straight at Peter when she asks this, but he doesn’t dare look her in the eye. “Not even friendship?” Peter scoffs, making himself even smaller.  
“I don’t know what I feel,” he answers simply. However, simply isn’t good enough for Madame Touha.  
“Then explain it to me.”  
“Explain what?”  
“What you feel,” Madame Touha scoots her chair closer to her desk so she can rest her arms on it again. “Cause if you don’t know what you’re feeling, it does mean you are feeling something.” She nods once. Determined. “Talk to me.”  
“I haven’t even discussed this with aunt May, or mister Stark. With all due respect, Madame, I don’t think I should-“ Peter’s startled by Madame Touha, banging her desk loudly with one fist.  
“_Talk._”

Peter stares at Madame Touha and clears his throat. It’s burning slightly from all the talking he just did and he tries to swallow the ache away. Unsuccessfully.   
“When the potion took effect, I immediately noticed.” Peter stares at his hands defeated. “I first thought it felt like there was a hole inside me. I hated it,” he seethes. “Still do.”  
“Then why not put in the effort to let Daphne fill that hole again?” Madame Touha asks bluntly. Peter finally looks up, not hiding the tears prickling behind his eyes.  
“I don’t think it’s a hole, Madame. A-At least not anymore. And-“ He takes a breath to collect himself. “I don’t think it’s where Daphne used to be.”  
“Explain.” Peter moves to sit back on the chair and he angles his head up. He stares around the ceiling, as if the answers he’s looking for are written somewhere up there.

“Imagine… Imagine you’re in bed and it’s just _so_ comfortable. You never want to get out. It’s so nice and warm and it makes you feel good and safe.” His left eye twitches and his tongue absentmindedly runs past his teeth, almost remembering the achingly sweet potion he drank. “And then you’re forced out of it.” Madame Touha nods once.  
“Daphne was your bed?”  
“I don’t think she was, Madame.” He frowns, still gazing up at the ceiling. “I- I think the addiction was.”  
“Which means…” Madame Touha encourages him to keep talking, which Peter is more grateful for than he thought he would be. Putting his thoughts into words already seems to make things clearer for him. He’s honestly curious what he’s going to say next.  
“I still like her,” he breathes. It’s like a weight is lifted off his shoulders. “I still like her,” he repeats. “It’s just less intense.”

“You don’t love her anymore?” Peter doesn’t answer. Instead he frowns at the ceiling. “Alright, let me rephrase,” Madame Touha shuffles in her seat. “What do you think when you think of Daphne?”  
“I-“ He doesn’t know what to say. He thinks everything and nothing at the same time. He thinks of her sweet laugh and her funny jokes. He thinks about all the things they’ve done together and the evenings spent in each other’s arms. He remembers the pas de deux and how he held her hand. _Her hand._ Peter would lie if he said he hadn’t seen the golden scars on her hands when they met up at Central Park. Ravir must have healed her, no doubt. But all of it reminds him how Daphne went to see that dubious, mind control loving sorceress for _him_. Shivers go down his spine just thinking about what Daphne told him about how the golden sorceress had first entered her mind when she had the concussion. And Daphne went looking for her out of free will, just so she could get answers. And do anything to help Peter get rid of the addiction. Even cut herself.  
“She hurt herself for me, Madame,” he whispers. A single tear finally rolls down his cheek. “How could I let her love me if she hurts herself for me?”  
“Ah,” is all Madame Touha says. The puzzle pieces are finally coming together. “You don’t want her to like you anymore, so she won’t do any more reckless things for you?” Peter sniffs and hates himself for looking like a child. More tears start streaming down his face.  
“I thought that if I’d look like I didn’t care about her anymore, she’d get over me quicker,” he sobs softly.

“Peter.” Madame Touha grounds him by saying his name and he angles his head to look at the ballet master. She smiles kindly at him. “You know Daphne,” she chuckles. “She’d catch a bullet for a stranger.” Peter just stares at Madame Touha, not really knowing what to reply. But he knows she’s right. “There’s nothing in this world that you could do to stop her from helping others. With great disregard of her own safety,” she adds the last part with a snort. “And that’s why you’re into her,” she remarks with a smirk and raised eyebrows.  
“I can’t go back now, Madame.” Peter raises his hands defeated. “I already screwed up.”  
“Maybe so,” Madame Touha smirks. “But you love her and she loves you, right?”  
“I’m… I’m not sure if I’d call it love,” Peter fiddles with his fingers as he brings his hands back in.  
“Oh, shut up, Parker.” Peter re-positions himself in his chair and leans forward towards Madame Touha.  
“It’s true, though! Everything I felt for her used to be so incredibly intense and now it’s just… It’s there, but I don’t burn anymore. It’s… Weird.”

“Do you have to burn, though?” Madame Touha cocks her head and when she makes an analogy Peter hadn’t expected, everything suddenly makes sense again. “She isn’t your Firebird, Peter. She’s your Dove.”


	96. Animals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaos.

Daphne absentmindedly plays with the food on her plate. She shuffles individual rice pieces from one side to the other and only rarely takes a bite. Derek eyes her worried and finally musters up the courage to break the silence.  
“I won’t be home tomorrow evening,” he says after clearing his throat.  
“Hm?” Daphne doesn’t look up and purses her lips.  
“The zoo is organizing a winter disco every Thursday and they’re a little short staffed this time around.” Derek raises his eyebrows when Daphne doesn’t reply, so he pokes his fork into her food, stealing a piece of chicken off her plate.  
“Hey!” She exclaims. Derek raises his eyebrows at her as he triumphantly munches down on Daphne’s food.  
“Figured you’re not gonna eat it.”  
“I am! I am… I just-“ Daphne looks back down at her plate and immediately starts shuffling the dish with her fork again.  
“You just?” Derek cheekily brings his cutlery back to Daphne’s plate and she manages to chuckle as she sword-fights him away with her own fork.  
“Sorry, dad, I’ve got a lot going on,” she sighs.  
“Oh, and I don’t?” Derek scoffs. “You’re not the only one suffering from everything that’s happening to you.” Daphne bites her lip and takes a breath.  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Derek lets out a loud sigh as he leans back in his chair.  
“I know you don’t, Daph…”

Derek looks at Daphne as she continues to play with her food. Right before he wants to break the silence himself, Daphne speaks.  
“When I was brought back by Loki…” She frowns, lost in thought. “After the thunder strike.”  
“Yeah?” There’s a short pause and Derek leans forward again, quietly shuffling his own food around his plate.  
“He said he gave me back to you. And then he left.” Derek bites the inside of his cheek, knowing what Daphne implies. He’d hoped she’d never ask him this. Not because he has anything to hide, but because he wished he had a more meaningful answer.  
“I…” He quietly puts down his cutlery and looks up at Daphne. “I never knew it was him.”  
“Not even when the images from the New York attack went viral? Everyone knew Loki at that point.” Daphne twirls her fork in her hand and Derek isn’t sure if she’s angry or just curious.  
“You were unconscious. You were bleeding. I had been looking for you for hours, Daphne. I only went back home when the storm became too much. At the time I couldn’t care less about whoever brought you back. The only thing that mattered was that you were back. Safe, with me. I didn’t care to remember his face.” Derek rubs his eyebrows and ponders his words. “I took you from his arms and when I turned to tell him to get inside with the storm still happening, he had already disappeared. I never questioned it.”  
“Why not? Wasn’t that weird?”  
“I always thought that man was your guardian angel,” Derek admits. He seems almost embarrassed. Daphne chuckles as she finally puts some food on her fork to take a bite.  
“I guess he really was.” After her second bite, Daphne looks up at her dad again. “You mentioned a Zoo Disco?”

…

“Excuse you?” Tony stares at Nick Fury, wide-eyed.  
“You heard me, Stark.”  
“No-no, I don’t think I heard you well enough. Come again?”  
“You just want to hear me say I fucked up.”  
“What? No, of course not! I just didn’t hear you the first time,” Tony says with a loud fake cough. Nick lets out an agitated groan.  
“Fine,” he sighs. “David got out.” He sucks at his teeth. “We’re guessing we can find him wherever Daphne is, so we want you to contact her.” Tony doesn’t give Nick Fury his answer straight away. Instead, he counters his question with a question of his own.  
“How in the world could he escape?! From the _Raft_, of all places?!”  
“Ask Strange.” Tony’s face turns sour.  
“Strange?” He says quietly. The name seethes from his lips. “Strange!”

An orange glow fills the room and Stephen steps out of his circular portal.  
“You called?” His eyebrows raise nonchalantly and Tony takes a few forceful steps his way.  
“Care to explain how David escaped the Raft?” Stephen’s eyes go wide and he takes a step backwards.  
“He _what_?!”  
“Yeah, that was pretty much my exact response! The fuck did you do?” Stephen shakes his head slowly. You could practically see the gears turn in his head.  
“The kid has very potent magic and in order to keep it from growing out of proportion I had to teach him some basic things, so he can control it.”  
“You _taught_ him?!”  
“Upon my request,” Nick butts in. “That silver stuff triggered something and he was in a lot of pain before Strange showed up.” Tony pulls at his hair and grabs his phone, dialling Daphne’s number.  
“How’d he get out?” Stephen turns to face the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.  
“He created a portal,” Nick replies calmly. “Like the one you just walked in with.” Stephen stares at Nick in complete disbelief.  
“I never taught him that…” he mumbles.  
“He must’ve watched you quite closely then, doctor.”  
“And only with one hand?” Tony asks with his phone still clutched between his shoulder and his ear.  
“You don’t need two hands to create a portal. Magic is only limited by your mind,” Stephen sighs. “This kid is dangerous.”  
“Yeah, no kidding,” Tony scoffs. “Come on, Daph, pick up!”

…

Daphne whips her head carelessly to the beat. Request hour just started, so there’s more than just pop music blasting through the speakers. Daphne’s jacket had been tossed aside ages ago. She’s unsure where it is, but she doesn’t care right now. Her hips sway to the beat and she ignores the stinging cold and all the people around her. When someone approaches her to ask her if she was Daphne ‘from the kidnapping’ she’d simply say: “Nah, but I look like her, so I get that a lot.” Most people would leave her alone. After all, it made her a whole lot less interesting. And it’s still New York; most people actually didn’t care. She opted not to invite any of her friends or classmates to this outside disco thing. She just wanted to let go and not have to deal with any questions. Or people. The less interactions she has, the less time she gets to think about… 

“Daphne!” Her face contorts when she hears his voice. She sniffs once and turns away from it, not halting her movements and pretending to be unbothered. “Daph!” He’s nearing her, but she still doesn’t want to talk to him, so she closes her eyes. The longer she doesn’t have to look at him, the better. Daphne’s eyes open abruptly when his hand touches her shoulder and turns her towards him.  
“Daph, we’ve been trying to reach you!” Peter stares at her with wide eyes and Daphne blinks a few times, unhappy with the fact that he threw off her groove.  
“I’m busy,” she says simply, before trying to turn away from him again. However, his grip on her arm tightens and he jerks her towards him. She yelps softly at his brashness and stares at him wide-eyed.  
“David’s on the loose.” The look in his eye is intense and Daphne’s breath is stuck in her throat. His irises are dark and his jaw is tightened. Is he… Being protective? Confusion spreads through Daphne’s body. She was convinced he didn’t care about her anymore and now he’s acting like this? Daphne scoffs.  
“Oh, so you don’t say a word to me, go on with your life, but now that David’s lurking you’re suddenly back to being the hero?” Peter immediately lets go of Daphne and takes a step back, slightly offended, glancing around to see if anyone noticed her outburst.  
“I’m sorry, okay, I just need you to not be in public until we catch-“  
“Nah,” Daphne says while shaking her head. A sarcastic laugh falls from her lips. “Nah, you don’t get to exclude me from this.” She puts her hands on her hips. “Call Fury, or whatever. If you want David caught, I’ll lure him out.”

Peter lets out an exasperated sigh as Daphne turns to walk away from him.  
“He’s dangerous, Daph.” He follows her through the crowd of dancing people. “Strange taught him some basic magic tricks and now the guy can teleport!” Daphne’s head whips around and looks up at Peter defiantly.  
“I’ll lure him out,” she repeats determined, enunciating every word. “He gets jealous easily, so all I gotta do is get the attention of a few guys and he’ll be out in no time.” Daphne cocks an eyebrow. “You’re the big, strong man, right? I’m sure Spider-Man can restrain him.” Daphne continues her strut towards the DJ and she nonchalantly steps up the small stage to request the next song. She arches her back and sticks out her butt as she leans over the sound system. Peter can do nothing but stare at her, defeated. He knows she has every right to be frustrated with him for breaking up with her the way he did, but she’s been evading him constantly. He wants to talk to her, but she doesn’t give him the opportunity and now she’s saying this? And doing… That?!

Jealousy creeps up on Peter when he spots a few random guys also staring at Daphne. Or, more particularly, at her behind. Peter looks away, pretending to be unbothered by it, but his blood is slowly starting to boil. He sucks at his teeth and ends up looking around for the reason why he went to find Daphne in the first place. If David knows magic, he must be able to find her quite quickly and easily. Maybe he can disguise himself, like Loki can. Doctor Strange explained what he’d taught David, but if he learned how to teleport without Stephen’s help, there’s no telling what he’s capable of.

The current song swiftly transitions into something that seems to have been inspired by Indian music. Daphne slowly lets herself glide off the stage as she winks at the DJ and mouths a short “thank you”. Peter frowns, trying to recognize the song, but it’s not landing. In any case, he can’t keep his eyes off Daphne anymore. The way she elegantly saunters over to the other people on the dance floor is strangely captivating. she takes the tie out of her hair and shakes her head a few times, letting loose her long wavy hair. The song starts with the chorus and Peter finally realizes what they’re listening to. His face contorts. “Come and get it” by Selena Gomez.

_You ain't gotta worry, it's an open invitation_  
_I'll be sittin' right here, real patient_  
_All day, all night, I'll be waitin' standby_  
_Can't stop because I love it, hate the way I love you_  
_All day all night, maybe I'm addicted for life, no lie. _

_I'm not too shy to show I love you, I got no regrets. _  
_I love you much, too much to hide you, this love ain't finished yet. _  
_This love ain't finished yet_  
_So baby whenever you're ready_

_When you’re ready come and get it, na na na_

Daphne sways her hips and plays with her hair as she dances. It’s awfully enticing and Peter has to move away from the dance floor to keep himself from grabbing her by the waist and dance with her like they used to. He’s fairly certain she wouldn’t appreciate that. Unfortunately for Peter, it didn’t take long for a guy to show up right behind Daphne to dance with her. Peter realizes he’s losing control of his super strength as he bends part of the metal fencing he’s leaning against when the random guy grinds up against Daphne. His hands creep past her waist to press her flush against him and, to Peter’s dismay, Daphne shows no sign of stopping him.

Daphne closes her eyes and lets herself get carried away by the music again. She hates this song for a lot of reasons; the lyrics literally being an invitation to abduct her, is definitely one of those. But this is hopefully exactly what she needs to dance to in order for David to reveal himself. Daphne presses herself against the guy behind her and can’t help but imagine it’s Peter giving her this kind of attention. She’s practically waiting for the guy to tangle his hands in her hair like Peter always did, but he doesn’t. She takes a breath and turns away from him as the song nears its end. She looks around to see if David’s anywhere, but can’t seem to spot him anywhere.

There’s a moment of doubt in her mind as she wonders if the effort was even worth it. She’s suddenly disgusted with herself for dancing like this with a stranger. While Peter’s watching. The same stranger tugs at her shoulder, trying to coax her into dancing against him again. She opts to just keep facing the guy, who is quite obviously a few years older than her. Ew. She fakes a smile as she continues to dance along to the music as her requested song fades to silence. They all clap for the DJ who casually announces the next song would be the last song of request hour. Daphne bites the inside of her cheek. Maybe she really did just waste a lot of time pretending to like the guy she was dancing with. David’s probably not even here anyw-

_Baby, I'm preying on you tonight_  
_Hunt you down eat you alive_  
_Just like animals_  
_Animals_  
_Like animals-mals_

Daphne’s eyes go wide and she immediately turns around to the DJ who seems to be minding his own business. She rushes away from the stranger who’s still trying to dance with her and climbs up the stage towards the DJ again.

_Maybe you think that you can hide_  
_I can smell your scent for miles_  
_Just like animals_  
_Animals_  
_Like animals-mals_

“Who requested this song?” She yells over the music. The DJ shrugs apologetically as the song continues in the background.  
“I dunno,” he says honestly. He pauses to think. “Some dude, I guess.”  
“Which way did he go?”  
“Girl, I’m trying to work here-“  
“Fine! Sorry,, sorry…” Daphne slowly climbs down again.

_You're like a drug that's killing me_  
_I cut you out entirely_  
_But I get so high when I'm inside you_

Daphne’s about to accuse David of pulling some sick joke by requesting this song, but she wasn’t much better than him in that regard. Her heartbeat is loud between her ears and she’s getting short of breath. She rushes to where she dropped her jacket, but it’s missing. Which means her phone’s gone too. _He’s here,_ she thinks. Fear suddenly takes over as she hugs herself. _He’s actually here._

_Yeah, you can start over you can run free_  
_You can find other fish in the sea_  
_You can pretend it's meant to be_  
_But you can't stay away from me_

Whatever bravery Daphne thought she had has completely disappeared. Every part of Daphne is screaming for her to find Peter. He can protect her. There’s nothing she wants more now than to have his arms wrapped around her as he tells her everything is going to be okay. A quiet sob escapes her mouth as the heavy weight of regret creates an empty pit in her stomach. Why was she _so_ stupid?! She calls out for Peter as she turns another time, but his brown curls are nowhere to be found.

_You're still in my head forever stuck_  
_So you can do what you wanna do, eh_  
_I love your lies I'll eat 'em up_  
_But don't deny the animal_

Daphne finds her way to the other side of the crowd. She’s panting. Peter’s name is wet on her lips as she repeats it constantly in her search for him. Her hands pull at her hair and she decides to just make a break for it. Get to Tony as fast as she can. She turns one last time, in the direction of Avengers Tower, and that’s when she spots them. Adam Levine’s howl is all she can hear, echoing into the night sky. She stares at the two guys wide-eyed. Peter’s frozen where he stands with David’s silver arm wrapped around him. One wrong move and he’s done for.

Everything seems to happen in slow motion. Daphne doesn’t think twice as she accelerates towards David and Peter. She pushes aside everyone in her way and leaps over a bench. David waves his one hand and cocks his head cheekily as both of them disappear into an orange portal. He really did learn magic. Daphne swears under her breath, but yelps when someone suddenly grabs her arm and stops her from advancing. She doesn’t care to look up. Not even when the woman says she’s with S.H.I.E.L.D. Daphne doesn’t care about anything but Peter right now. Her mind and body are on autopilot as she shakes herself free with little effort and continues her chase.

She finds herself running to a more and more secluded area in the zoo. The disco’s far away from where she is right now. Why does everything always have to happen when she’s at a party of some sort?!  
“Peter!” She calls out in a desperate attempt. “David!” An unexpected warmth expands behind her and she turns around to see David standing in a portal he created. Before she can react, he grabs her arm and pulls her in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added chapter numbers to my final outline. This fic will be about 110 chapters long! Just so yall know what we're working towards! ^_^


	97. Truly and Undeniably

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANGST!
> 
> Warning: mention of self harm, (sexual) assault (it doesn't get that far).

Daphne is met with a cold, hard floor and she yelps at the impact. They’re in some kind of deserted wooden cabin. The sun is rising and the snow and mountains outside betray that they’re far from home. Her breath condenses in front of her mouth. It’s freezing. The cabin is completely empty, save for a few wooden pieces of furniture. Daphne shuffles to sit upright immediately and looks up at David towering over her. Her breath is stuck in her lungs as she takes in his blue-ish grey appearance. He had ripped off the sleeve of his leather jacket, so his silver arm is completely exposed. He stares intently at her and his left eye twitches slightly.

“Get away from her!” Daphne turns to see Peter, restrained against the wall with… Something glowy? It doesn’t seem to matter that he can lift 25 tons. His struggles against the magic restraints prove to be useless.  
“Peter-“ His name escapes Daphne’s lips in just a whisper as she reaches out for Peter, but David heard and he growls. With the only hand he can actually use, he grabs Daphne by her thin shirt and lifts her to her feet harshly. He squeezes his blue fingers around her arm and pulls her towards him. Her back is flushed against his chest. He clenches his jaw and his voice is low and threatening.  
“Peter will be dead soon.”  
“No,” Daphne seethes through gritted teeth. 

Daphne doesn’t dare to move; afraid that she’ll accidentally touch David’s exposed arm. David presses his nose in her hair and takes a deep breath. He moans softly and Daphne freezes. If he uses magic now, how is he not hurting? Why can he touch her? He should be burning from overstimulation! Her eyes flick to his silver arm and suddenly it hits. Ravir and Nuveth also weren’t affected by Daphne’s magic. Ravir even said that it was useless to her. They can’t channel her. Maybe the metal curse is what keeps them from reacting to Daphne. However, that raises more questions. Because if that is the case, then why is David’s still obsessed with her?

Daphne’s rational brain doesn’t get more time to ramble when she feels David pressing both his silver arm and his erection against her. She gulps and has to refrain herself from freeing herself from his grip. His other hand slides under her arm and moves to cup her breast.  
“Oh, my love. Peter _will_ die. But before that’s going to happen…” David’s breath is hot on Daphne’s ear. She can hear his tongue dance around in his mouth from anticipation. It sounds disgusting. “He’s going to watch you fuck me.” Daphne clenches her mouth shut as David presses feather kisses on her ear. Tears blur her sight.  
“No! Let her go!” Peter’s face is red from all the effort he’s putting into fighting the restraints. The veins on his forehead look like they’re about to pop and he screams incomprehensible things. Daphne takes a deep breath.

“I will do whatever you want if you promise to let Peter live and bring him back to New York safely,” she says determined. Peter relaxes his muscles for a second and he looks up to make eye contact with Daphne. He stares at her in disbelief. The air seems to have disappeared from his lungs. Tears form in the corners of his eyes.  
“No,” he mutters. He collects himself and shouts; desperate. “No, Daphne! Don’t do this!” He continues his struggle against the magical bindings. They budge slightly, but not enough for him to actually break free.

Daphne can feel David grin against the side of her head. She knows he’s looking straight at Peter during this conversation, knowing he is finally in control. He must feel quite victorious now.  
“Whatever I want?”  
“No!” Peter shouts again.  
“Yes.” Daphne closes her eyes and sighs defeated. “Anything.” David softly massages Daphne’s breast and he grinds up against her, making Daphne wince.

Peter takes a deep breath and stops struggling. There’s nothing he can do to get out of the restraints. He’s wasting his energy. The tears finally stream down his cheeks and he pants as he watches the scene unfold in front of him. He squeezes his eyes shut. There has to be a way to get David to let go of her. Think, think, think!  
“She doesn’t love you,” Peter says quietly. He looks at David defiantly and stretches his back to seem more confident. David pretends he didn’t hear Peter and starts sloppily kissing Daphne’s jawline. However, he’s looking at Peter. And his eyes are filled with hatred. “She’s only doing this to save me.” Daphne slowly shakes her head, urging Peter to stop talking, but he doesn’t. “Do you know what that means, David?” Peter scoffs softly, a cocky grin spreads on his face. “That means she loves _me._” 

David growls and moves to Daphne’s neck. His arm curls up higher, letting go of her breast. His hand grips her shoulder to press her against him even tighter. Daphne whimpers in discomfort.  
“And I love her.” Daphne’s eyes shoot open as she looks at Peter. Her breath hitches in her throat at his unexpected confession. Daphne’s mind halts. He… Doesn’t hate her…? “I’m not obsessed with her the way you are. I’m not addicted.” He pauses and smiles breathlessly. “I truly and undeniably love her.”

That did it. David jolts and pushes Daphne forward as he growls like a beast. When they reach Peter, David pushes Daphne to his side, but he doesn’t let go of her arm. He squares up and invades Peter’s space. Their foreheads nearly touch.  
“She is _mine,_ orphan.”  
“She’s not,” Peter laughs as he throws his head back, ignoring the personal attack. “And she isn’t mine either.” Daphne tries to speak, but she has no idea what to say to diffuse this testosterone match.  
“Cut the crap, Parker.”  
“What crap? I’m not lying.” Peter’s face betrays his anxiety, but he keeps going strong. “She’s not a property you can own.”  
“She’s a Zephyr,” David forces out. “And I have claimed her. She’s _mine!_” He yanks at her arm when he says the last word of that sentence. Daphne wishes she could just disappear.

“Keep telling yourself that. Loki’s already on his way here and he’s got over a thousand years of experience with magic over you. He’s going to rip you to shreds,” Peter bluffs. Daphne knows. The charm Loki gave her is in the pocket of her jacket, which David stole, and as far as Daphne knows, Peter doesn’t have anything trackable on him either. Heck, David took Peter’s jacket off before restraining him. Everyone might be looking for them. But there's nothing that could trace them to wherever they are.  
“What do you mean with that?!”  
“You’ve seen them together,” Peter smirks. “At her childhood home, right?”  
“That was nothing!”  
“Was it?” Peter cocks an eyebrow. “Was it really nothing?”  
“You’re making things up!”  
“Okay, how about that sorceress a few weeks ago? That was Loki too.”  
“Liar!”

“He’s right!” Daphne squeaks suddenly. Both guys turn their heads to the subject of their argument. Daphne’s voice is shaky. “Loki’s involved in all of this,” she mutters. “He’s the one who made me a Zephyr.” David would tighten his jaw further if it were possible. “We’re connected. He knows when I’m in distress. He’ll be here soon.” Daphne plays along. They’re connected, yes, but not like that.  
“I’ll kill him,” David hisses. “I’ll kill him and make you mine!”  
“He’s a god,” Peter sucks at his teeth. “If you challenge him, you’re done for.”  
“I’ll turn him to silver, just like I will turn you!” Without warning, David releases Peter from his restraints and he lets go of Daphne.

Everything seems to happen in slow motion. David goes in to punch Peter’s face with the hand he just held Daphne with and Peter brings up his arms to protect himself. However, David’s strategy is to swing his silver arm as well, aiming for Peter to accidentally deflect the silver arm. Daphne doesn’t think twice and jumps forward. Everything halts as quickly as it started. Daphne stares wide eyed at her hands, clutching David’s silver arm. No one moves. No one breathes. Daphne touched the silver. They’re all frozen in place, waiting for the silver to spread over Daphne’s hands.

…

Nothing happens. Daphne’s hands remain the way they are, even though she’s still holding onto David. Daphne blinks a few times and appears to be the first one to collect herself. She twitches a little and slightly turns her face to Peter, not taking her eyes off her hands.  
“Knock him out,” she whispers. Her command seems to snap both guys out of it and David tries to pull back his arm. However, Daphne takes another step forward and wraps herself around his arm, completely covering the silver parts of his body. Peter doesn’t hesitate and swings his fist, punching David straight in the nose. Daphne lets go of David as his body is thrown back because of the force of Peter’s punch.

Daphne and Peter stare at David’s motionless body on the floor. He’s still breathing, but he’s definitely unconscious. Peter rubs his fist gently and looks at it for a second before shifting his attention to Daphne.  
“You okay?” Daphne keeps staring at David and doesn’t move. “Daph?” Peter takes a few steps towards her.  
“How are we gonna get back home?” Her voice cracks and Peter can’t help but frown.  
“I don’t know.” Peter glances outside. The cabin seems fairly snowed in and it’s likely that they’re in the middle of nowhere. It’s light outside, though, which confuses him. It was quite late when Peter confronted Daphne at the zoo disco, but not _that_ late. Peter’s confidence sinks when he realizes they must be at the other side of the world. How did David even get them here?!

“I guess we’re not in Kansas anymore,” Daphne mumbles, trying to make light of the situation. She sniffs once and walks towards David. She squats next to him and starts searching his pockets, not really minding his silver arm anymore. “No phone.”  
“Great,” Peter sighs sarcastically. He bites his lip when he realizes Daphne is staring at David. He walks towards her and sits down on his knees next to her. He doesn’t touch her, though.  
“You look cold.” Daphne glances at the goose bumps on her bare arms. Neither of them are clothed for snowy weather and with David no longer being a threat, the adrenaline subsides and the temperature starts affecting them.

“That’s cause I am,” she sneers. She hugs herself and turns away from Peter, who takes a step back.  
“Are… Are you angry with me?” He asks quietly. Daphne scoffs and gets up.  
“Angry?!” She throws her hands in the air, before quickly bringing them back to hug herself again to keep warm. “There are about a hundred ways that shit you just pulled could’ve gone wrong!”  
“Are you kidding me?!” Peter exclaims. “You were going to have _sex_ with him! I’d say this was the most ideal outcome!”  
“Ideal?! What if I turned to silver?!”  
“You weren’t supposed to touch him!” Daphne shakes her head.  
“You’re un-fucking-believable, Peter!”  
“Wha- you’re the one who’s been avoiding me!”  
“You’re the one who broke up with me!”  
“No, you gave me back the pin! You broke up with- why are we even having this argument?!”

Daphne stomps around the room and harshly kicks one of the small, crooked, wooden tables. It immediately collapses, but neither Peter nor Daphne are fazed by it.  
“Why didn’t you say _anything_?!” Daphne’s voice breaks and new tears start streaming down her face. “You let me go, Peter! You just stood there and made me do all the work!”  
“I didn’t know what I was feeling, okay?! It was… It was different! I needed time!”  
“Why didn’t you just tell me that?!” Daphne paces up and down the room.  
“I don’t know! I- I don’t know!”

Peter pulls at his hair, absolutely frustrated with the situation. Fighting won’t improve anything, but it’s apparently what they need right now.  
“Smart, by the way,” Daphne scoffs. “To lie to David to get him to attack you.”  
“I didn’t lie! I mean- only about the Loki part!” Daphne freezes in place and slowly turns to face Peter.  
“You weren’t lying?” she asks softly.  
“Shit!” Peter yells, startling both of them. “No, dove-“ the nickname makes Daphne’s heart scrunch. “- I wasn’t lying, I swear. Everything I said-“ Peter bridges the distance between them until he has to look down to look her in the eye. “-about what I feel for you is true. I still love you, so, so much.” Peter’s lip trembles and his hand slowly comes up to wipe a tear off Daphne’s cheek with his thumb. Their condensed breaths mix in front of them. “I just didn’t want you to hurt yourself for me anymore. Loki told us what you went through to make the potion. And… And you went to see Ravir, who preached practicing being mind controlled, which is messed up.”

Peter looks away for a second, trying to collect himself. He shakes his head in a half smile-half scoff.  
“I’m the one with super healing, Daph. I get hurt. I get up. I’m not worth grabbing a silver arm for. I’m not worth cutting your hands for. You shouldn’t have to take the bullet for me.” He grabs her hand and holds it against his fast-beating heart. His thumb rubs over the hard, golden scar in her palm. Daphne can’t look away from his crying eyes, but she doesn’t know what to say. “I love you so much, you have no idea. The addiction was just heightening what I already feel for you. But now that it’s gone, everything is so much clearer than it ever was- than I ever thought it could be. I could tell you a hundred times how I feel and I wouldn’t lie once. I love you, Daphne, I love-“

Daphne interrupts Peter by pressing her cold lips against his. She can taste his tears and she cries with him as they embrace, tighter than they have ever done before. They never want to let go of each other again. Her hands find his hair and tug it. His fingers twirl a strand of her hair and his other hand holds her against him. They sob through their kiss and when they finally pull back, they are an absolute mess. Daphne’s shoulders shock as she hugs him.  
“I love you too, Peter, fuck, fuck, fuck, I love you too.” She shuts her eyes when his hand softly pets her head. “Please, don’t ever scare me like that again,” she whispers. Peter presses a peck on top of her hair.  
“Only if you promise to do the same.”  
“Promise.”  
“Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T h e s e t w o


	98. Guardian Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki gets the teens out of there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was on a roll with my writing yesterday, omg. I wrote like 5000 words in total. I couldn't wait to post it, so, here's the next chapter already!

“Can you put in a _LITTLE_ more effort to find these kids?!” Tony is ready to throw his tablet at Nick. The man has been a bother to say the least and it’s been two hours since Daphne and Peter went missing. “You lost them!”  
“I’m not the one who sent an inexperienced teen to get her out of the zoo?” Fury cocks an eyebrow, seemingly unfazed by Tony’s frustration. “We found their jackets, but we have no idea where to search for them.” The billionaire whips his head to face the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and he takes big strides until he stands in Nick Fury’s personal space.  
“Where’s her jacket?!”

…

It’s been a few hours. Peter managed to bind David with Daphne’s help and he’s still unconscious. Now, Peter and Daphne are spooning in the corner of the room. Daphne’s seated between Peter’s legs and has her back pressed against his chest. His chin rests on her shoulder and he wrapped himself around her. His body temperature is higher than that of a regular person, but the current outside temperature and the fact that this cabin has nothing to keep the weather conditions out is starting to affect him. They’re both shivering. David took their coats and left them with short sleeves in the mountains somewhere across the globe. The chances of this ending badly are big.

They already exchanged apologies and bantered about whose fault it was that they’re in this situation, but there’s nothing left for them to say. All they can do is try to keep each other warm with each other’s body heat and rocking back and forth. Peter notices Daphne’s muscles are losing tension. She’s freezing and her body seems to be giving up.  
“Stay with me, Daph,” he mumbles against her. His own exhaustion is evident through the way he speaks. Daphne responds with a simple hum. “Dove,” he whispers. His eyes flutter open and he stares at his wrist. He’s been mulling over a plan to stay warm, but he’s unsure how much he could handle. How long it would take for him to lose consciousness. If it goes wrong Daphne really won’t have any means of staying warm anymore.

He takes a short breath and moves his hands together. He can’t really feel his fingers anymore, but they graze over the regulator on his wrist.  
“What are you doing?” Daphne mumbles. Before she can process his plan, Peter switches off the regulator. The burning heat immediately shoots through his entire body. The two of them are pressed together and he whines softly as he shuffles to embrace Daphne even tighter. He’s warming up. And she can use him as her personal heater. He’s just going to have to bite through the pain.  
“Pete, stop,” she protests weakly. “You’ll get hurt.”  
“Don’t worry,” he groans. He presses his forehead against the back of her neck and clenches his teeth on top of each other. His heartbeat quickens and he starts to pant. His muscles tense and he squeezes his eyes shut, focusing very hard on making sure he’s not actually hurting Daphne with his strength as his body involuntarily jolts a few times. He takes a sharp breath and utters the words Daphne hasn’t heard in a while. “I got you.”

…

Tony frantically searches all the pockets of Daphne’s winter wear. He finds her house keys, her phone and her subway card…  
“No, no, no-“ he mumbles. “Where is it?!”  
“Stark, if you tell me what you’re looking for then maybe we can help.” Tony frowns, still untrusting of Nick Fury, but they found the jackets. Maybe they overlooked something.  
“Remember that Asgardian silver you found in Daphne’s bag last time?” When Tony looks up to face Fury, he already knows what’s up. Nick put up his ‘I’m a super spy’ poker face. Tony _hates_ that face. It’s Nick’s way of saying he has secrets he won’t be sharing.  
“Yeah, what about it?” Nick angles his head and Tony stands up straight, cracking his back.  
“I need it.”  
“What for?”  
“Reasons.”  
“Don’t be a child, Stark, tell me what’s going on.” Fury crosses his arms. “You still haven’t told me what’s up with the girl”

“Where’s the silver, Fury,” Tony drops the jacket and squares up. Fury simply raises his eyebrows and stares at Tony through half lidded eyes.  
“How about we strike a deal?”  
“I don’t strike deals anymore. Pep’s the CEO, remember?” Tony rolls his eyes.  
“You tell me everything there is to know about Daphne. I’ll get you that silver.”  
“So, you have it?”  
“Classified.”  
“Fuck you.”

…

Tony quickly realized that arguing about this wouldn’t get Daphne and Peter back quicker, so he decides to give Fury a toned down, less detailed version of the story. He tells enough for it to make sense, but leaves out some ‘unimportant’ bits.  
“So, why do you need the silver?” Nick leans against Tony’s desk and cracks his neck.  
“Classified,” Tony replies with a shrug.  
“Cheeky.”  
“I told you everything you need to know about Daphne, now hand me the silver.” Tony holds out his hand, palm facing up and waits patiently. He sucks at his teeth while Fury ponders his next move. Nick looks at the hand, glances at Tony’s face with his one eye and finally moves. He reaches for a pocket inside his leather coat and not much later Tony is sitting behind his desk, studying the piece of metal from up close.

Fury moves to stand next to him and Tony sighs, slightly annoyed at the man breathing down his neck. The piece of metal is shaped like a raven. One of Odin’s raven’s, Tony recalled. Which one was it again? He shakes his head slightly. Doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that he gets it to work. If there’s one person out there who can find Daphne wherever she is, it’s Loki. Tony hates to admit it, but he’s going to have to ask the god of mischief for help. All that he needs to do now is figure out how to get the charm to work. Loki said that it could be used to contact him. Tony scratches the surface and sniffs. How does that thing work?

“What do you need it for, Stark?”  
“Supposedly, this is a way to contact Asgard to ask for help.” Tony turns and twists the silver charm in his fingers, studying every detail.  
“You’re seriously going to ask Asgard for help?”  
“No.” Tony clears his throat and mumbles under his breath. “I’m gonna ask Loki for help.” Fury stands up straight and takes a step back.  
“You’re going to invite that maniac to earth?” His tone is belittling.  
“I told you, he and Daphne are connected. He can find Daphne and if we find Daphne we will find Peter and David. Simple math.”

“You really want to owe that asshole a favor?”  
“Oh, I’m not worried about owing him any favors.” Tony looks back at Fury. “He’ll do _anything_ for Daphne.” Fury scoffs and shakes his head while crossing his arms.  
“This Zephyr shit is confusing.” He turns away from Tony, who now presses the charm between both his hands. “Can’t we just ask Strange to find them?” Tony eyes Nick and purses his lips.  
“I literally just explained to you why we shouldn’t be putting Daphne and Strange in the same room, so if you could maybe put your brain to work and think of a way to activate this crap, that would be great!”  
“How should I know how it works?!”  
“I don’t know, maybe you have a theory?!”

“Could you two _PLEASE_. Stop. Talking?!” Nick and Tony turn startled, finding Loki in the corner of the room. Fury instinctively places his hand on the gun in his holster. “It is incessant and will not get you anywhere.”  
“Who let you in?” Tony grins and raises one eyebrow.  
“I could hear the two of you yell at each other ever since you said you were going to ask me for help because that is how that charm works.” Loki nods at the raven in Tony’s hand and cocks one eyebrow. “So, I figured I would let myself in.” He sighs deeply and frowns. “How did you get the charm? Where’s Daphne?”  
“We were hoping you could tell us.” Tony stands up from his desk chair and pats Nick on the shoulder, urging him to take his hand off the gun.  
“I mean, I could, but I want to know what is going on first.” Loki places his hands on his hips and eyes the two humans. Tony presses three buttons on his phone to let everyone in the search party know that they should gather at the penthouse.  
“Alright, let me update you real quick,” Tony says before fake-coughing once. “Just… Promise you won’t get mad.”

…

“Odin’s beard,” Loki utters under his breath when he finds himself in a relatively cold, wooden cabin. He’s survived colder climates, and is generally unbothered by cold, but he knows Midgardians don’t find this weather particularly comfortable. Especially not without the right clothes. The cabin is old and looks like it could fall apart with the littlest amount of force. Loki immediately spots Daphne in Peter’s arms. The boy is unconscious and Daphne’s sobbing softly, fumbling with Peter’s regulator. She looks up at Loki, who doesn’t think twice as he rushes towards her. She’s pale and her lips are blue. She looks like death. Loki takes her face in his hands to keep her looking at him.

“Daphne, I’m here,” he mumbles. “I’m here, dearest, I’m here,” he keeps repeating.  
“L-Loki… P… Please,” she whispers. Her line of sight moves towards the other unconscious boy, who is restrained on the other side of the room. Loki eyes him and glances back at Daphne.  
“No,” he says quickly. “I’m taking you back first.” Daphne manages to shake her head.  
“T-t-them first.”  
“Are you out of your mind?” Loki protests. Daphne chuckles weakly.  
“You’ll come back for me,” she replies. Loki mutters some swear words. Somehow, after everything they’ve been through, she still thinks he would leave the boys and take just her away… Okay, maybe she was right about that. “Please,” she whispers. “For once, do what I ask you.” She closes her eyes and lets out a dry sob. “T-them first.”

Loki clenches his jaw and a frustrated groan escapes his lips. He conjures up the same scarf he got Daphne on the rooftop after the gala and wraps it around both Peter and Daphne.  
“I’m not good at warm magic, Daphne, I am a Frost Giant.” She looks at him with big eyes. She’s read up on Norse mythology and he’s told her many stories while at Ravir’s. “I cannot do much to keep you warm.”  
“Can you wake him up?” Daphne tries to turn her face to look at Peter, but the shivering made her neck stiff. Loki moves to press one hand on Peter’s forehead and purses his lips.  
“I cannot. But if I am quick and he gets the right care, he will live.” Daphne knows Loki was telling the truth, but something in his tone of voice seems off. Loki stands up and takes off his leather coat. He covers the teens with it as well. He then rushes to David.  
“C-careful!” Daphne shouts, but her voice is frail. “He has a silver arm.” Loki pauses his strides and slowly turns back to Daphne.  
“He _what?!_” He blinks a few times, trying to process what Daphne just told him, but ultimately decides that’s a conversation to be had when they’re all in a warmer location. When Daphne tries to speak, he brings up his hand to shut her up. “Later,” he says through gritted teeth, continuing his way to David. He easily binds David with other restraints that prevent him from using magic. He grabs the opera singer and glances at Daphne and Peter. “I will be back soon.”

…

“When will he get back?” Derek asks as he stares at the spot everyone’s looking at. It’s most likely where they expect Loki to reappear. Derek only just arrived. Sleep-deprived and overflowing with anxiety for his daughter’s safety. Again.  
“Soon-ish,” Tony replies vaguely, hoping that’s a satisfying answer. In all honesty, Tony has no idea how quickly Loki jumps and how swiftly he can deal with the situation. He’s going to have to stop David, maybe even fight the teen. It gives Tony a strange, uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. A large number of Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are waiting (im)patiently in the penthouse. Tony hates it when the agents invade his personal quarters. They’re like ants. Showing up uninvited and acting like they own the place.

Tony grits his teeth and stands up straight when Loki suddenly returns, dropping David on the dark tiled floor rather harshly. It’s evident from everyone’s reaction that they notice Loki has taken off his coat, but no one decides to comment on it. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents immediately jump to action and rush to the young sorcerer, still unconscious on the floor. Loki turns to Tony and cocks an eyebrow.  
“A silver arm,” he states in an accusing manner. “I wonder how and when that happened.” He angles his head. “I do hope you are aware that the silver sorcerer is linked to Somm, but I guess it does not matter that I know about something which involves both me and Daphne _directly._” He sighs deeply, not giving Tony the time to defend the situation. “I will fetch the boy.” He prepares to teleport again, but pauses suddenly and frowns. “He’s… Not well. I suggest you call a healer.”

…

Not much later, Loki returns with Peter in his arms. It’s now the Avengers’ turn to jump to action. The paramedics rush towards him with special blankets meant for people with hypothermia. Bruce quickly spots what’s up.  
“Where’s his regulator?” he asks worried. Loki pushes a hand through his hair.  
“My best guess is that he took it off to keep them warm. I will be right back, Daphne is still there.”  
“Where?” Steve inquires.  
“It is some sort of un-insulated cabin in the mountains. But there is a time difference. The sun has already risen there.” Natasha frowns at his words.  
“Wait-“ she pauses shortly. “That means they are in Eastern Europe? Or even further east?” Tony grabs his hair and pulls at it.  
“Shit- David’s grandparents are from Kazakhstan,” he says as he recalls the detailed files that Pepper kept on all the scholarship students.  
“They’re in Kazakhstan?!” Bruce exclaims.  
“Maybe?!”  
“Holy shit.” Natasha scratches her head as she gently shakes it. Loki mutters something incomprehensible and disappears again to retrieve his dearest.

About a minute later, he appears with Daphne in his arms. He’s carrying her bridal style and she looks just as bad as Peter. She’s conscious, but barely. Loki finally realizes Derek is there. He recognizes Daphne’s father from when he had first returned her to him, when she got struck by lightning.  
“Oh my god,” Derek utters softly as he stands up to rush towards his daughter. Loki’s face contorts as both he and Derek experience a déjà vu. Tears form in Derek’s eyes as he feels Daphne’s ice-cold body in his hands. Loki slowly gets to his knees and Derek joins him as he gently takes Daphne from his arms. Daphne immediately wraps her arms around her father’s neck. Her eyes are open, half lidded, but there’s nothing behind them. No spark. No life. The paramedics make their way to the barely conscious Zephyr and Derek can’t contain a sob.

“Thank you-“ his voice cracks. “I-I never got to thank you.” Loki vividly remembers Derek’s screams for his daughter as Loki approached him with Daphne’s 8-year-old, bleeding, unconscious body in his arms.  
“Don’t.” Loki’s face contorts, not wanting to do this now.  
“No, no, you saved her. So many times, now.” Derek actively ignores all the times Loki invaded Daphne’s life with less fun things and nobody has the heart to interrupt the sobbing father. Tears stream down Derek’s face as he clutches his daughter close to him while the paramedics try to warm her up. Loki doesn’t do well with compliments and he feels particularly strange at what Derek says next. It hits him deep. No one has ever said anything like this to Loki. He was always the god of mischief. A menace. A _bother_. The mortal’s words were somehow humbling. Comforting. “You truly are my daughter’s guardian angel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to write some more this weekend! I'm really feeling it at the moment! ^_^


	99. I Missed You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne wakes up with Loki at her bedside. She goes to find Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TODAY IS THIS FIC'S 6 MONTH ANNIVERSARY. I've been working on this fic since the 11th of August last year and I'm SO proud of it! Thank you so much to everyone who stuck around and to everyone who leaves kudos and comments! You mean the world to me!

“Good morning.” Loki’s voice is soft. Daphne’s eyes flutter open. Based on where his voice came from, she guesses Loki’s behind her. He doesn’t even surprise her anymore. Daphne takes a slow, deep breath as her thumbs caress each of her fingers, making sure she didn’t lose them in the cold. She pulls in her legs to grab her feet and feel her toes and closes her eyes gratefully once she briefly held all ten of them. Loki chuckles. “I bid you a good morning and all you do is tickle your toes.” Daphne can’t help but laugh quietly and turns around in her familiar Avengers Tower bed. She pulls the blanket slightly further over her body, cherishing the warmth she missed last night. Loki’s sitting in a chair next to the bed. He’s slumped back in the seat, legs spread in a disinterested, relaxed manner.

“I-“ Daphne pauses to clear her throat from not using her voice for a while. “-need those toes for dancing.” Loki stretches his back and moves to sit upright properly. He rolls his shoulders and studies her. It makes Daphne feel a little weird. His expression is off-putting. Why is he looking at her like there’s something he doesn’t understand?  
“Aha,” is all he replies. Before he can say anything else, he’s stopped by Daphne’s sudden change in mood. Anxiety overrides her senses and she quickly changes the subject.  
“Peter-“ Her eyes shoot to the door and she sits upright, throwing the sheets off her. Loki’s hands quickly find her shoulders, grounding her instantly.  
“Careful, Daphne.” He eases her back into the mattress and pulls the covers over her again. She stops him from attending to her further by holding onto his wrist with her cold hand.

“Is he okay?” she whispers. Loki bites his cheek and sighs as he sits down on the bed.  
“He will be alright.”  
“So, he’s not okay?” Her voice cracks and Loki can’t help but gently push her hair behind her ear.  
“Daphne, I need you to be honest with me.” Loki clears his throat and Daphne looks up at him with big eyes. She doesn’t reply, not knowing what he wants her to say. He then asks a question she didn’t expect: “Are you ready?” Daphne blinks a few times, mulling over his question in her head. Did he just ask her…?  
“I- I don’t know?” She looks away from him, waiting to feel anything that could confirm or deny Loki’s statement. “I don’t feel different, so I don’t think so? Why do you ask?” Loki purses his lips.  
“You controlled your energy.” Daphne frowns at his words. “You saved Peter.”  
“What?”  
“What happened in that cabin?”

Daphne doesn’t hesitate to tell him everything, starting from the moment Peter and Daphne broke up in Central Park until their kiss in the cabin. Loki looked ready to kill when Daphne told him about what David attempted with her. She tells him about how she and Peter sat together in the corner of the cabin, but she suddenly stops and stares ahead.  
“Daphne?” She presses her eyes closed. “Are you still with me?” There’s a short silence before she speaks again.  
“I… I don’t remember much.”  
“Tell me what you do remember.” Daphne’s eyes flick through the room, as if she’s trying to find her memories in the furniture or on the walls.  
“We were so cold…” Daphne rubs her feet together under the sheets as she recalls the freezing temperatures they had to endure. “He took off his regulator.”  
“Which made him heat up.” Daphne nods slowly.  
“He was in _so_ much pain. I don’t think he noticed how he screamed.” Daphne speaks softly. She can still hear the gut wrenching sounds that Peter forced out and how she could literally feel his rapid heartbeat against her back. “He-“ She pauses and can’t hold back her tears. “He refused to let go of me- I- I couldn’t make him let go-“ She sobs. “Too strong-“ 

Loki holds one of her hands in his own as he lets her talk.  
“I just wanted him to stop hurting. That’s all I could think of,” she mutters before she sniffs once. She doesn’t continue her story, silently letting Loki know that that was all she remembered.  
“And then I arrived?” Daphne stares at him, realizing that Loki didn’t just appear next to her bed this morning. He was the one that got them out of the cabin.  
“I… I don’t know anymore,” she mumbles honestly.  
“We spoke. You ordered me to save the boys first.” Daphne doesn’t look away from Loki. She’s putting in all the effort to recall any sort of conversation with Loki in the cabin. Loki leans in closer. “When I returned you to the tower you were awake, but not… Present.” He thinks for a second and raises his eyebrows. “My best guess is that you turned that way because I took Peter away from you while your body was so focussed on maintaining his electricity levels.”  
“Wha- I became a zombie?” Loki chuckles.  
“You could call it that.” He takes a deep breath and leans back again. “You were constantly internalizing your energy, whilst also stabilizing Peter’s. Once I took him away from you, you must have blocked mentally.”  
“That’s why you asked…” Daphne mumbles. Loki nods slightly.  
“You did something you should only be able to do when you are ready.” Loki purses his lips. “You saved him solely based on determination.” Daphne doesn’t reply. “You were his regulator.”

…

Peter wakes from a knock on his door, but he doesn’t move. Everything hurts. With every heartbeat he can feel his blood rush through his body. He would groan if he had the energy for it.  
“Come in,” he says weakly. He jolts a little when he sees Daphne in the doorstep. Her hair is still wet from the shower she just took. Peter can’t move much, but he manages to smile. “Dove,” he mumbles gratefully.  
“Hey…” She shuffles to his bed and sits down on the floor next to him. “How are you?”  
“Moving hurts,” he scoffs as he turns to lay on his side so he can face Daphne. She pokes him softly through the sheets.  
“Then don’t move, you idiot,” she chuckles, but her eyes don’t smile along. She sighs. “I thought we promised not to scare each other again.” Peter closes his eyes, realizing what she means.  
“Guess I’m not as good at keeping promises as I think I am,” he says softly. His hand slowly appears from under the sheets and he winces slightly. Daphne immediately takes his hand and raises it slightly to press a kiss on his fingers before placing it back on the mattress. She doesn’t let go of him and she shakes her head with a half-smile.  
“Oh, you’re such a hero.”  
“For you, always,” he says quietly. “I got you.”

“I did something I’m not supposed to be able to do and it saved your ass back there.”  
“Hm?” Peter heard her, but he doesn’t open his eyes.  
“I couldn’t get your regulator to work anymore, Pete, you would’ve died.” She gently squeezes his hand. Peter frowns.  
“What did you do then?”  
“I…” She pauses and studies his face. Once again, she feels inside herself, trying to figure out if she is ready or not. But still, nothing about her seems to confirm it. “I regulated my energy.” Peter’s eyes open quickly and he stares at Daphne surprised.  
“You what?”  
“I mean… Loki said that’s what I must’ve done. It’s why you fell unconscious. If I didn’t knock you out by managing your energy like your regulator would, your heart would’ve burst.” Peter pulls a face at her words and he can tell she didn’t like what she said either.  
“So,” he ponders. “You can control it now?” Daphne immediately shakes her head.  
“No- no, I definitely can’t. I was only able to because-“ Daphne stops herself from continuing the sentence. She didn’t want to think of what would’ve happened if she wasn’t able to control his energy. Peter, however, finishes her thought.  
“You didn’t want me to die…”

Daphne has to fight back the tears as she looks Peter in the eye. She slowly shakes her head and this time Peter squeezes her hand. He pulls a face when he raises his other arm so he can lift the sheets. It hurts.  
“What are you-“  
“Come in,” he says with a kind smile.  
“But-“  
“I can’t keep my arm up much longer, Daph.” He lets out a pained chuckle. Daphne swiftly gets in the bed with him and they instinctively wrap their arms around each other, like they did all those other nights. Her head rests on his chest and she closes her eyes as he covers them with his sheets.  
“Doesn’t this hurt?” She questions. Contrary to her statement, she feels Peter relax under her.  
“No,” he sighs content, closing his eyes. “This is perfect.” They lay there for a little bit. Enjoying each other’s presence. Peter’s feelings are still less intense, but being here with Daphne, actually having her in his arms again, smelling her pomegranate shampoo and feeling her heartbeat on his chest, makes him feel warm and safe.  
“I missed you,” Daphne whispers. She clutches Peter a little tighter. His hand caresses his way up her body, making Daphne feel a different kind of heat. Peter’s fingers find their way to her hair and he presses a kiss on top of her head.  
“I missed you too, dove…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 100 is coming up! And... It might be a little... Steamy......... 👀👀👀👀 Please note it will be a regular chapter with the extra stuff added at the end! There will be plot too! Just consider it an extra long chapter! <3
> 
> In all honesty I have no idea yet how I'm going to write the chapter and/or how descriptive/explicit it will be. I have little experience writing smut and I don't want it to feel forced. If you have anything you'd specifically like them to do/try, then feel free to let me know! The earlier you let me know, the bigger the chance I can incorporate it in the smut!
> 
> Once again, thank you so much for all the love you've given me! This fic has been my first writing in three years and my first full on complicated plot EVER. Your comments are what keep me motivated to continue to work hard on the final few chapters!


	100. Chemistry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne gets a phone call from Mme Touha, Peter returns something to Daphne he'd been meaning to give back and... Things happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARE YALL READY FOR THIS?! HOLY FUCK, IT'S CHAPTER 100!
> 
> I'm treating you with 8487 words, my dudes (hence why it took so long to write lol)!
> 
> Content: some plot, some tooth aching fluff and after the -------------- there is a whopping 6581 words of smut! It's their first time, so things are a little awkward at times. Peter can't seem to stop his researcher brain from experimenting (which results in edging) and there's some dirty talk! Other than that it's pretty vanilla, but if you're not into it you don't have to read it for plot! ^_^ I'm,,, not experienced with writing smut, though I have a very experienced smut-writing friend who was so kind to proof read it for me!

“The board offered me _what_?!” Daphne stares out of the window of the Avengers Tower penthouse with her phone pressed to her ear. Madame Touha called her with some surprising news.  
“Is everything okay?” Peter walks towards her, ignoring all the eyes on them. Bucky, Sam, Natasha, Steve and Tony are also in the penthouse, hanging out as they pretend they’re not eavesdropping on the phone call.  
“I- uh-“ Daphne blinks a few times as she processes what Madame Touha just told her. She takes a breath and her shoulders droop. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, but she couldn’t take it. It’s too risky. She pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. “It’s an honor, but I’m sorry, Madame… I can’t do it.”  
“Of course, you can!” Peter hears Madame Touha say at the other side of the line. “You’re the best student in my school and the board loved your performance as the Suger Plum Fairy!”

Daphne rolls her shoulders and shakes her head defeated. There’s nothing in this world she would love to do more, but the chances of things going south are too big.  
“Madame, the summer performances are in June, I can’t take on Odette if-“ She stops herself from continuing. Natasha perks up on the couch at the mention of the White Swan.  
“The board offered you the role of Odette?” She asks, making Daphne nod slightly. Peter nearly buzzes with excitement. Swan Lake is his favourite ballet ever. Seeing Daphne perform the main role of that ballet was something he thought would only live in his imagination. Natasha waves her hand up and down, urging Daphne to put the phone on speaker. Daphne figures she has nothing to lose. She won’t take the role anyways. She hits the button and Madame Touha’s voice echoes through the penthouse.

“I know what’s up, Daph,” Madame Touha sighs. “Peter told me everything.” Daphne’s eyes flick to Peter, whose cheeks go red. “And knowing you, I’m guessing you’re considering quitting ballet after this school year.” Daphne presses her lips on top of each other. She can feel everyone’s eyes on her. She clears her throat and nods.  
“I’m not considering it, Madame, I’ve already made up my mind about that.”  
“Wait, so, you’re quitting?” Tony moves to stand next to Daphne and cocks an eyebrow. “Why would you? You’re too good to quit.”  
“Who’s with you?” Madame Touha asks. Tony tosses a blueberry into his mouth and shrugs.  
“Nobody,” he quips.  
“Is that-“ Madame Touha stops herself. Tony purses his lips and gives Daphne an apologetic look.  
“Yeah, it is,” he says quickly. “Can we go back to the part where Daphne said she’s literally refusing something my girlfriend is offering her?” 

“You knew about this?” Daphne frowns at Tony, who immediately raises his hands in defence.  
“Pep does a lot of things I don’t know about. She’s the boss,” he says while shaking his head. He didn’t confirm nor deny Daphne’s statement.  
“So, you knew?”  
“I knew the board was impressed with you; I just didn’t know they were going to offer you a lead role.”  
“Okay-“  
“Daph,” Madame Touha interrupts. “Take the role.”  
“But-“  
“I’m serious.”  
“Me too!” Daphne exclaims.  
“You should take it, though. This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Sam says with a nod. Daphne turns to him, completely flabbergasted that he, of all people, said that.

“Can’t you see I’m trying to be responsible?” She lets out an exasperated groan. “I might be ready at that point and that means I’m going to have to let everybody down!” Her voice shakes. “I can’t dance if Somm could show up at any second. Hell, he might’ve already shown up before the performances!”

“Do you want the role?”  
“Madame-“  
“Forget about this Zephyr crap, Daphne. That’s what understudies are for. If you’re not ready before the performances you will regret not taking the role. If you’re really quitting after this school year, then you might as well go out with a bang.”  
“But-“  
“Do you want the role?” A heavy silence falls. Daphne doesn’t know what to do. Peter’s hands land on her shoulders and he squeezes slightly, encouraging her to tell the truth.  
“I do.”  
“Alright, then it’s settled,” Madame Touha exclaims excited. “Oh, by the way, the board really loved the chemistry between you and Peter so they automatically cast him as prince Siegfried, bye!”

Before Peter can protest, Madame Touha hangs up. Peter stares at the phone in Daphne’s hand. The heavy silence now turns awkward and he chuckles nervously.  
“I guess I’m no longer kicked out, then.”

…

Daphne’s disrupted from doing her homework by two short knocks on her window. She purses her lips into a knowing smile. There’s only one person who knocks on her window like that. She lets out a short scoff and corrects herself; there’s only one person who knocks on her window, period. It’s halfway through February now. Things managed to get to ‘normal’ rather quickly again. Sure, Sarah had questions about Peter and Daphne suddenly dating again and it’s taken some time to get used to the new art curriculum at Midtown Tech, but Daphne would be lying if she said she’s not enjoying her regular life. A life without magic or gods or sorcerers. Being a Zephyr didn’t matter right now. Her grades mattered. Her ballet classes and rehearsals mattered. Her father mattered. Peter mattered. Zephyr who?

She stands up from her desk and moves to the other side of the room. Her fingers curl around the fabric of the curtains, and she pushes them to the side. Spider-Man tilts his head at the other side of the glass. Daphne places her hands on her hips and grins, raising one eyebrow. Spider-Man points at the lock on her window with one finger and then folds his hands together to plead. He cocks his head the other way in a cutesy manner and then hugs himself, emphasizing how cold it is outside. Daphne can’t help but laugh at Spider-Man’s dramatics. She holds her chin with her thumb and pointer finger and pretends to think very deeply. She squints and purses her lips, which then curl up into a smirk. She grabs hold of the curtains. Spider-Man aggressively shakes his head, resting his hands against the window. Daphne chuckles while she closes the curtains again as Spider-Man follows along the fabric to stay in her line of sight. She can hear him faintly.  
“Noooo-“

When the curtains are completely closed, Daphne waits a few seconds to creep her fingers under the fabric. She can’t see her hands, or Spider-Man on the other side, but she waves at him. She feels around for the lock, pretending she can’t find it for a little bit. Eventually, she rests her hand on the cold metal and she pushes to unlock it. She pulls her hands back again and takes a few steps away from the window so she can return to her spot at her desk. When she sits down, she hears someone fumble with the window. She scribbles down the last couple of numbers of the equation she was working on and closes her notebook. It’s quiet again, but there’s a cold breeze, which means he must’ve opened the window. The curtains shuffle, and judging by the way they move, she can tell he must be holding each in his hands. 

Just when Daphne’s about to stand up again, Spider-Man pokes just his head through the curtains and looks forward with wide lenses.  
“Peek-a-boo,” he exclaims cheerfully. When he realizes Daphne is no longer at the window, but at her seat, he angles his head to actually look her in the eye. “Oh, there you are!” Spider-Man’s head is framed by her curtains and it looks absolutely hilarious. Daphne bursts out laughing and leans back in her chair, covering her face with her hands. She can hear Spider-Man jump into her room and close the window, but she can’t stop her laughter. Tears nearly run down her cheeks as she keeps her eyes squeezed shut during her fit. 

When Daphne finally manages to open her eyes, Spider-Man is right in front of her with his knees bent so he’s at eye level with her.  
“Oh, you think you’re funny,” Spider-Man quips, cocking his head and narrowing his lenses. Daphne takes a deep breath and presses the back of her hand against the corners of her eyes, wiping away the tears that have accumulated there. She lets out a soft whine before laughing again and she nods.  
“Occasionally, yes,” she chuckles.  
“Good!” Spider-Man exclaims. He brings up one hand to push some stray hairs out of Daphne’s face and behind her ear. “Because I think so too.” His voice is soft and his statement makes Daphne’s cheeks go red. Her laughter falters as she finally collects herself. She stands up and Spider-Man follows her, straightening his back.

Daphne studies Spider-Man’s body and bites her cheek. She’s seen him like this countless of times now, yet she’s still flustered when he’s Spider-Man. The skin-tight suit hugs all his muscles in a way that has her blood rush and knowing what he looks like underneath it, doesn’t really calm her down. She’s always ready to run her hands through his curls and press soft kisses everywhere. She’s never seen him naked before, but the suit honestly doesn’t leave much to the imagination. Especially up close. 

Spider-Man brings his hand up to take off his mask, but Daphne stops him by grabbing his hand. She smiles kindly at him and moves to pull it off his head herself. Not much later she’s clutching the mask in both her hands and Peter Parker stares down at her with a soft expression on his face.  
“Hey, dove,” he says quietly.  
“Hey.” Daphne shyly looks down at the mask and fumbles with it.  
“I, eh… I’ve been meaning to give this back to you.” Spider-Man’s hand appears in front of her between the mask in her hands and her face. His fingers gently hold onto the golden dove pin she’d given back to him at Central Park. Daphne looks up at Peter surprised. One of Daphne’s hands lets go of the mask and caresses Spider-Man’s fingers until they graze the metal of the pin. The texture of his suit tickles her skin. Daphne gently takes the pin between her fingers, but frowns when Peter doesn’t let go of it. She looks up at him confused. 

“Could I-“ Peter pauses and chuckles nervously. “I was wondering if I could put it in your hair?” Daphne’s heart melts at his request and she smirks as she turns around to have her back towards him. She can almost hear him smile as he takes a step closer and starts gathering her hair at the top of her head. She closes her eyes and lets him fumble around for a bit and she can’t help but laugh softly when he starts to vocalize his struggle.  
“Not as easy as I make it look?”  
“Not as easy as you make it look,” he repeats with a scoff. Daphne grabs his hands and guides him to put her hair in a half up-do. She’s holding both his hands on the back of her head and there’s a short pause. “And now?” he asks insecure.  
“Now, you secure it with the pin.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Peter takes a step back to admire his work and Daphne turns around with a wide grin.  
“Next time, I’ll teach you how to braid my hair,” she says. Peter scratches his head.  
“Let’s start with a pony tail.”  
“Alright, alright,” Daphne laughs. “You set the pace.” She presses a quick peck on the corner of his mouth and her remark has Peter swallow loudly.  
“I, ehm…” He starts softly. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.”  
“Oh?” Daphne takes a confused step back, but Peter follows, staying in her space.  
“It’s… About us. About, well…” Peter’s eyebrows curl as his face contorts. “Us.” The way he emphasizes the last word, gives Daphne a weird feeling in her stomach. His voice was lower. Darker.

“Us?” Daphne asks quietly. Peter nods slowly.  
“It’s been a while since I’ve taken this potion and I’ve noticed that more has changed than I thought would.” He doesn’t look straight at her. Instead, he looks down, almost ashamed. “You know I was always so afraid of being with you,” he mumbles. “As in… Kiss you. Stuff like that.”  
“You told me you were scared you’d hurt me,” Daphne says, trying to help Peter through his story. He nods again.  
“Every time I held you, every time we kissed, I was afraid I’d lose control. The fire was so intense, I didn’t dare to try more. I always held back.” It’s Daphne’s turn to nod and she gives him a worried smile, wondering where this is headed. “And now that I’ve taken the potion,” he breathes out. “The fire is gone. I know I’m in control.” He takes a step closer to Daphne. He now has to look straight down to look her in the eyes.  
“You’re not afraid anymore…” Peter licks his lips when Daphne whispers the words.

“I just… I wanted to let you know that if you want to take what we have further, then… Then I’m ready.” Peter blinks a few times and takes a step back. He haphazardly hides his face behind his hands and then moves them to tug at his hair. “P-Please don’t feel pressured, though, it’s completely fine if you need some more time- I don’t want you to do anything you’re not okay with and-“ Daphne stops his rambling by aggressively pressing her lips against his in an open mouthed kiss. Her tongue flicks against him and his mouth opens instinctively, letting her enter. Daphne doesn’t waste any time and jumps up to wrap her legs around his waist. Peter grabs her thighs to keep her up, but he stumbles backwards until he hits the wall. The soft moan that escapes Daphne’s lips upon the impact, sparks something primal in Peter. He swiftly spins them around until he’s pinning Daphne against the wall.

Peter breaks the kiss and pulls back slightly.  
“Are you sure you want to do this?” His voice is a lot deeper than usual and it riles Daphne up even more. She grinds up against him and moves her lips to his jawline and neck.  
“Yeah,” she sighs. “I’m ready, Pete-“ Her eyes go wide and she pulls back quickly, realizing what she just said. “Not in _that_ way!” She exclaims. “For this, I meant, I’m ready for this, specifically-“ Peter chuckles and presses his forehead against her chest, barely surprised to find she’s not wearing a bra. His attention immediately makes her relax again, though her nipples are hard, pressing through her thin shirt.  
“It’s okay, dove.” He presses feather kisses where her breasts are. Daphne whimpers when one of his kisses touches her nipple. Peter’s hands slide up her thighs to cup her ass and pull her tightly against him, making it easier for her to keep grinding. “You don’t have to worry about any of that tonight.”  
“Please,” she begs, as her movements become more needy. She continues kissing down his neck and her hands find their way to Peter’s hair, tugging at it and eliciting a moan from him.  
“I’m all yours, dove, tell me what you want,” he pants. He moves them to Daphne’s bed and carefully sits her down on it, not letting go of her.

Daphne immediately leans back until she lies down on her back, her hands move to the hem of her shirt.  
“Please, Pete, make me forget-“ Peter helps her pull her shirt over her head. It gets stuck on their chin, making them chuckle, but it’s not long before the shirt is tossed to the side. Her hands automatically move in to cover herself, but Peter quickly stops her by grabbing her wrists and holding them to the side. His breath is shaky as he finally takes in her physique without shame. He’s absolutely captivated by how she looks. She’s a work of art. The tips of some of the branches of the scar on her back curl around her waist and right below her chest. Petite is the perfect word to describe her. Though, Peter admits, perfect is too. Daphne closes her eyes ashamed and turns her head sideways.  
“What’s wrong, dove,” he asks as he softly pushes her up the bed so her head can rest on her pillow. He presses a few soft kisses right below her ear.  
“They’re small,” she whines quietly. Peter hovers over her and doesn’t hesitate to kiss her to stop her from continuing. He doesn’t want her to feel insecure. Especially not tonight. He’s going to worship her. Make her see herself how he sees her.

“Oh, dove,” he smiles against her lips. “Don’t think like that.” He lets go of her left hand and pushes a stray lock of hair behind her ear and his fingers linger on her ear lobe. “You are absolutely perfect.” Peter moves his kisses down her jaw and her neck to her breasts. His gloved hand cups her left breast. He gently massages it and he teases her nipple by rubbing his thumb over it in small circles. His textured Spider suit feels absolutely amazing, though Daphne yearns to have him touch her skin to skin. Peter’s mouth finds her right nipple and without second thought he wraps his lips around it to suck. His tongue flicks the tip and Daphne makes a sound Peter could only describe as a beautiful song. He wants to hear it again. He wants to do everything he can to hear it again. He sucks harder and Daphne’s free hand curls up in his hair again. Her hips involuntarily buck and she begs.  
“Pe- Pete, more, please, please, more-“

Peter aims to please, but he pauses to look up at her cheekily. She whines at the sudden loss of attention and looks at him.  
“I will give you everything you want if you don’t cover yourself.” Daphne lets her head fall back and she closes her eyes when he teases her by squeezing her breast once. “Daphne?” Goosebumps cover her skin at the mention of her full name. His voice is suddenly a lot more stern. It makes Daphne shudder. She nods once.  
“Yes,” she moans breathlessly. “P-please-“ Peter lets go of her and runs his hands down her sides, pressing his fingers gently into her skin until he reaches her hips. He toys with the waistband of her sweat pants and holds her in place, stopping her from bucking more.  
“Please what?” He cocks an eyebrow and his tone of voice shoots straight between her legs. This is a side of Peter she’s never really seen before and it makes her shudder with anticipation. His confidence envelopes her, having her wonder where the soft, rambling nerd shyly telling her he’s ready to have sex with her had gone. Daphne blushes, embarrassed by the fact he wants her to say exactly what she wants him to do with her.

“Love me,” she sighs as her hands cup his jaw. Peter turns his face to press a kiss on her palm.  
“Already do,” he whispers, closing his eyes. He’s still on his knees, hovering above her, not giving her what she’s yearning for. He lets go of her and places his hands on both sides of her head. He leans in to press a peck on her nose and her cheeks and her forehead and the corners of her mouth. He softly peppers her, and his lips are hot on her skin. “Talk to me, dove,” he mumbles. “I’m not going to do anything you haven’t told me to do. You’re in control.” If Daphne wasn’t so overwhelmed with good vibes right now, she would’ve burst to tears. She doesn’t deserve him. Even in the bed room he remembers how scared she is of being controlled by someone. About losing her free will. Her say in things. He wants her to tell him what to do. He wants her to be in charge.

“I’m always so focussed on being in control,” she mumbles. “You’re the only one I would give myself to willingly, Peter,” she replies. “The only one I dare lose focus around.” Her voice is soft as she looks him straight in the eye. His irises are dark. “You make me feel so safe and so loved… I want to let go when I’m with you. Please, take care of me, however you want.” She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him in to kiss him passionately and when their lips part she whispers. “I want you to take control.” The sound Peter makes next, immediately drives Daphne insane. It’s a growl. He _growled_. And it’s _hot_.

She’s unsure if Peter still wearing his Spider-Man suit turns her on more or less. Part of her wants to rip it off his body, but her thoughts can’t help but wander and the idea of grinding on his thigh while he’s still in the suit, makes her blood pump. Peter moves down her body again. Instead of teasing her by playing with her waistband some more, he wastes no time as he pulls it down her legs. Another blush covers Daphne’s face. She’s not wearing any interesting underwear. Had she known they would be doing this, she’d have worn the only piece of lingerie she owns. However, none of this was planned, so she has a pair of unflattering boxers hugging her skin. Peter doesn’t comment on it, too preoccupied with his task.  
“I want to make you feel so good, dove,” he moans as he presses some kisses on the fabric of her underpants. “Make you forget everything else.” His voice rumbles through her. His free hand moves up to massage her breast, while the other keeps himself up. He loses balance for a second, not being used to this position and Daphne quickly rests her hand on the one he has pressed into the mattress. Her fingers tickle his skin and he manages to collect himself. He when he sees the wetness soaking through her underwear. He grins and presses his lips against the wet patch, making Daphne push herself against him, wanting more friction.

“So wet, already, dove,” he says quietly.  
“All for you,” Daphne answers. “Please,” she whines. “M-more-“ She finally opens her eyes again to look at him. Things seem to halt when she realizes there’s a small hint of uncertainty in his eyes. He pulls his hand back from her breast.  
“Y… You should probably know this is my first time,” he looks away embarrassed.  
“For real?” Daphne breathes out. “Doesn’t look like it.” Peter perks up at her compliment. The cute, flustered geek has returned and Daphne’s heart warms at his half-surprised, half-amazed expression.  
“Really?”  
“Really.”  
“How about you?” he asks shyly. His breath is hot on her crotch. The conversation feels a little odd in the position they’re in now, but she indulges him.  
“Me too,” she whispers. “Was too busy dancing to care about anything else, so I just… Never really got to it.”  
“Oh…” Peter still looks straight at her. Daphne’s thighs frame his face and she involuntarily twitches. Peter’s expression shifts again. “Well, then…” He kisses the inside of her thigh, squeezing her skin with his fingers. He doesn’t break eye contact with her and Daphne can’t help but whimper as he frowns at her lustfully. “Let’s get to it.”

Daphne helps Peter take off her underwear and he can’t help but stare at her. It’s apparent she takes care of herself well. Her bikini line is hairless, which is fair, seeing as she has to wear a leotard nearly every day of the week. She’s not completely bare, though. Her crotch itself is trimmed short. Well maintained. Peter cocks his head as he studies her folds from up close. Yes, he’s a teenager. Yes, he’s seen porn (and masturbated to it). He knows what a vagina looks like. Yet, it’s intriguing seeing one in real life. Not through a screen. Peter’s shaken from his trance when Daphne chuckles. He looks up at her like a deer in head lights.  
“You can touch it, if you want,” she says with a smile. Peter stares back at Daphne’s private parts and nearly forgets he’s wearing the suit. Tony would kill him if he ruined it and Peter’s certain it would be a terribly awkward conversation if he had to explain… Well; this. He quickly presses the little spider on his chest and the suit detaches from his body. Daphne’s eyes are glued to Peter as he shakes the suit off, uncovering his toned body. His abs... His biceps… The v-line running down into his checkered boxes… She bites her lip when she spots his throbbing erection pressing against the fabric of his underwear. She wiggles her butt, enticing Peter to return to her.

Peter leans back down in front of Daphne and she arches her back slightly, giving Peter a better view.  
“What do I do?” He asks breathlessly. The hairs on Daphne’s legs stand up straight when he gently caresses her with his bare hands. She’d been waiting for it and, boy, does it feel good.  
“Feel around,” she suggests softly. “Explore…” Before she can say anything else, she can feel his thumb tickling her. She jolts slightly at the attention, but ultimately lets herself relax as he finds his way. Even though he’s looking and feeling around, more studious than seeking to give pleasure, it feels good. It feels right. It feels like Peter. He unexpectedly brings his thumb up a little higher and Daphne lets out a loud moan. He looks up at her shocked.  
“A-are you okay?” Peter asks worried. A smile spreads across her face as she relaxes back into her sheets.  
“That was my clit, Pete,” she sighs. Peter looks back down at his hand that’s still resting on her skin down there. There’s a beat. Without warning he puts his thumb back on the good spot and starts rubbing slow circles. Daphne’s toes curl up and she arches automatically, trying to create more friction.

“Atta girl,” Peter says softly. Daphne’s breathing quickens again, her chest rises and falls at a rapid pace and Peter can’t help but be absolutely fascinated by the fact that he’s making her feel this way. He’s doing this. He’s making her try to squeeze her thighs together. He’s making her hump the air. He’s making her moan like _that_. He’s rubbing her clit faster and faster and faster and-  
“P-Pete, I’m-“  
“Close?” He finishes her sentence, still absolutely intrigued by what he’s doing. And her physical response to it. He can’t seem to let go of his researcher mindset. He wonders what would happen if…  
“Peter!” She yelps when he pulls his hand back, letting go of her completely. “I wasn’t- I didn’t-!“ She pants.  
“I know,” Peter looks at her through half lidded eyes. His voice has once again gone low. Knowing where to touch Daphne to get her to the edge has given him a power and a confidence even he wasn’t aware he had. Daphne’s hands move down to touch herself to finish, but Peter quickly grabs her wrists again and moves to hover over her like he did before. He pins her hands above her head and moves his face to where their noses touch. Daphne’s still coming down from the edge and she lets out a soft whine.

“Tsk, tsk,” he tuts. “Thought you wanted me to be in control.” A deep chuckle escapes his throat. Daphne looks at him with large pupils and she smirks as she tries to control her breathing.  
“I do,” she pants. “I just… I didn’t expect you to edge me right away.” Peter presses a kiss on the corner of Daphne’s mouth and takes both Daphne’s wrist into one hand so he can use his other freely. It glides down over her skin, trailing Daphne’s juices along. When he reaches her chest he pinches the nipple between his thumb and pointer finger, causing Daphne to squirm.  
“Do you like edging?” Daphne closes her eyes embarrassed and nods quickly.  
“Makes the actual orgasm so much better-“  
“Mmm,” he moans in her ear, leaving a kiss on it. “So, you masturbate?” The thought makes his cock twitch in his boxers. Daphne on her bed, knees up, legs spread wide, squeezing one of her breasts while pumping two or three fingers into her vagina. Once again, Daphne nods quickly with her eyes closed.

“You don’t?”  
“Oh, dove, I do.” The nickname has Daphne shudder. The way Peter says it is so different from how he usually says it. “Do you think of me when you touch yourself?” He keeps rolling her nipple between his fingers. She can tell he’s experimenting, trying to find out what makes her twitch. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but whenever he finds her physical reaction satisfying, she can read on his face how he’s saving the information in his head. Daphne can’t help herself and tries to create friction again, his dirty questions echoing in her mind. Unfortunately, Peter is too far up to reach, leaving her yearning for more. He pinches a little harder when she doesn’t reply right away. “Do you?” She nods again with a short whine.  
“I imagine you’re touching me…” He brings his mouth back to her ear and whispers.  
“Like this?” His fingers release her nipple and he squeezes her entire breast, having his thumb brush over her sensitive skin.  
“Mmm!” Daphne presses her eyes shut even tighter, desperate for more. 

“Or… Maybe…” Peter’s hand travels back down to her crotch and after teasing her with some feather light touches, he attacks her clit again. Starting fast, but slowing down more and more as time goes on, to Daphne’s dismay. His tongue grazes her ear.  
“Like this?”  
“Y-yes, Peter-“ She whimpers. “Always so sweet.” She rubs her feet on her bed. “Make me feel so good- cum so hard-“  
“Is that what you want me to do?” He asks cheekily, rubbing slower and slower circles on her clit. She wants to tell him to speed up. Tell him to move just slightly more to the left. But she can’t, she’s too busy squirming under his touch, trying to process his questions. Form a comprehensive reply. “Make you cum?” Daphne nods more aggressively this time. He nearly stops moving his hand altogether. “Talk, Daphne, talk-“ He only says her full name when he wants something from her and it makes her even wetter.  
“Please, Peter, m-m… Make me cum.” He smirks, moving up to face her again.  
“Open your eyes, Daph,” he mumbles. She does and she stares into his black eyes. “I’m going to make you feel so much better than how my imaginary version makes you feel.” Daphne moans gratefully when he starts speeding up his hand again. “I got you.”

Daphne can barely believe this is actually happening. Peter has her restrained with one hand, while his mouth is ravaging her neck and chest and his other hand is working her clit and… and… She gasps when he moves down a little bit. His finger keeps circling around, but she knows he’s looking for her entrance. Her head nearly explodes when he passes it.  
“U-up,” she pants. Peter glances at Daphne’s face, realizing she knows what he’s looking for. He slowly moves back up, his thumb slowly patting on her clit. Daphne can feel her heartbeat throb in it and she whines. She wants more. Needs more.  
“How do I get in?” Embarrassment shades his face a deep red.  
“Just keep circling, r-right there. Smaller-” Peter feels a slight dip with every circle he draws and gasps intrigued when he realizes he’s slowly entering her. He gently pushes in one finger, continuing to softly pat Daphne’s clit.

Daphne has played with herself before. Her max is three fingers, but Peter’s fingers are bigger than hers. She winces, making Peter pull back a little in shock.  
“Did I hurt you?” he asks worried. Daphne closes her eyes and shakes her head.  
“It’s not that comfortable, y-you’re bigger than me.” Peter feels his cock twitch when she says that. His mind immediately thinks of Daphne rolling her hips on her own fingers again and he shudders. He wants to take her hands out of her and replace them with himself. He can’t contain himself as he feels a wet patch form in his boxers when he imagines being inside Daphne, pushing into her with his dick. He collects himself, tells himself to wait, and looks at Dahpne expectantly.  
“Do you want me to go out?” He pulls back further, but Daphne frantically shakes her head.  
“Nooo- no, just… Just go slow. Want to get used to how you feel inside me.” Peter’s cock presses even harder against the fabric of his boxers. Whenever Daphne’s at the brink of falling asleep she also says stuff like this, completely unaware of what her words do to Peter. Sleep drunk Daphne and lust drunk Daphne aren’t that much different from each other. Peter’s heart flutters when he realizes their nights together will be a lot more intense from now on.

Peter waits for a bit and tightens his jaw when Daphne unexpectedly clenches around his finger.  
“M-more,” she sighs. He bends down to sloppily kiss her breasts again and he pushes in a little further, still using his thumb to rub over her clit. Both Daphne and Peter’s hand are completely soaked from her wetness. He notices how much easier it is to push in further and further if he gives her some time to adjust. When his knuckle reaches her entrance, he gives Daphne a look, uncertain of what to do next. She has a dreamy smile on her face and sighs, wiggling her butt a little. “You can start moving,” she says breathlessly. Peter starts to pull out and slowly pushes back in, wondering if what he’s doing is right. After a few pumps, his researcher brain jumps back to action. Daphne’s physical responses happen when he presses down on her clit just right and when his tongue flicks on her nipple in a specific way. She doesn’t seem to get fully stimulated just from penetration. Conclusion: try something else. Solution: G-spot.

Daphne gasps when Peter starts feeling around inside her. She knows what he’s up to, but wonders if he’s going to find it. She never managed to locate her G-spot when she touched herself and figured she just wasn’t as sensitive in there, but having someone else to squeeze around is an insane and entirely new experience. And then… He curls his finger _just_ right.  
“Oh, fuck!” She exclaims. Peter takes his mouth off her right nipple and looks at her through half lidded eyes.  
“That feel good?” He double checks.  
“Yes,” she pants. “Yes, please, don’t stop, don’t ever stop.” She rolls her hips as Peter continues stimulating every obvious erogenous part of Daphne’s body. His thumb rubs eights on her clit and he keeps curling his finger inside her exactly where she needs him to. He moves up to kiss her deeply, letting their tongues dance. He finally lets go of her wrists to cup her breast with that hand and her fingers immediately push into his hair. Tugging and pulling and having him moan into her.

Everything is happening all at once. Daphne can’t fathom how Peter’s is keeping track of all his movements, not faltering one time. His pace is slowly becoming too much for her to handle and she can feel the knot in her stomach tightening.  
“C-close!” She manages to push out. She immediately regrets it, slightly afraid Peter will pull back again, but instead he goes even faster. Squeezing and caressing and kissing more intensely. Her whines turn into quick, short moans and she can feel the sweat trickle down her body. “Fu-fuck, Peter-“  
“Good girl,” he groans into her mouth. “I got you- I got you, let go for me, cum for me, dove, cum-“

Daphne releases with a silent scream, clenching around Peter’s two fingers. _When did he push the second one in?_ Her mouth is stuck in the O-shape and she swears she could see stars as she came. Peter slows down his pumping to help her down from her high, letting go of her breast and going back to hovering above her. It takes her a minute to open her eyes again and he stares at her expectantly. His fingers still rest inside her.  
“Was that okay?” Daphne can’t help but laugh weakly, still experiencing the afterglow from what was probably the most intense orgasm she ever felt.  
“Holy fuck, Pete,” she pants. “Give yourself more credit.” She closes her eyes and squeezes around Peter’s fingers again. “That was insane.”

Peter smiles proudly, but he suddenly becomes very aware of his own unattended needs. Daphne notices and gently grabs his hand. She moves to sit upright and slowly pulls him out of her. She brings his fingers to her mouth and stares at her own juices on him before making eye contact with Peter. He looks at her confused, wondering what she’s going to do. Before he can ask, she wraps her lips around his fingers and starts sucking on them, not breaking eye contact. Peter could combust at the sight if he let himself. Her other hand creeps to his waist and moves down to squeeze his shaft through the fabric of his underwear. Peter whimpers as her tongue runs over his fingers and he can’t help himself when he lifts her with his other hand, pulling her on his lap, feeling her heat on his own.

Daphne wraps her legs around him and starts grinding against his cock. Her wetness is slowly being soaked up by his boxers, but the new friction turns her on all over again. He can’t help but buck his hips and his face contorts with pleasure. Daphne looks at him with innocent eyes as she sucks a bit harder before taking herself off his fingers. She raises one eyebrow and runs one hand through Peter’s hair.  
“How’s that?” She asks, blushing. She feels a little awkward, wondering if it was a stupid idea. Peter bucks up again and scoffs softly while smirking.  
“You have no idea how hot you look when you do that.”

Daphne grabs Peter’s shoulders and slowly twists them until he lays down on the bed. Before he can process what’s happening, his boxers are tossed to the side and he’s just as naked as Daphne is. She sits with her legs spread on one of his thighs and stares at his erection laying stiff and flat on his stomach for a few seconds. Her clit twitches and she can’t help but re-position herself on his leg, trying to create friction without it being too obvious. It confuses her how wanting to make him feel good actually makes her feel good. Her mouth is dry and her jaw is slacked as she stares infinitely at Peter’s twitching member. There’s a million things she wants to do with it, but she has no idea how to go about it and what he likes and if she’s even any good at it and-  
“You can touch it, if you want,” Peter jokes, making Daphne laugh softly.  
“You know what,” she says, reaching out for it. “I might just…” To Peter’s dismay, she doesn’t actually take his cock in her hand. “…Not…” Instead, she starts massaging the skin around it, tracing her fingers right around his penis. His hands grip the sheets and he lets his head fall back.  
“Stop teasing,” he groans, knowing full well she’s paying him back what he gave her by edging her before.

“Alright, hero,” Daphne quips with a low voice as she moves down to his shaft. Peter’s cock twitches when he feels her breath on his sensitive skin and a wave of embarrassment flows through him when a few drops of precum spill out of him when she presses a feather light kiss near the head. Daphne looks amazed at the fluid on his abdomen and wets her lips. She barely dares to admit she’d love to have a taste of it. She’s seen some stuff on the internet and she knows opinions on what cum tastes like vary, so she’s more curious than she thought she would be. What does it taste like to her? Daphne decides to make the jump and leans further, trailing her tongue over his skin, licking up the precum from his abdomen. It doesn’t taste bad, but it’s not as sweet as some people say it is. Peter moans under the attention Daphne is giving him and she _loves_ the sound of him slowly coming undone. She lowers herself until she’s lying flat on top of him and she starts grinding again. Peter whimpers as Daphne rubs herself against his shaft and her small breasts feel like heaven on his skin.  
“Like that?” She moans. Peter can barely speak, but he notices her insecurity. How does she not realize what she’s doing to him? His voice goes up a few octaves and it’s breathy. Needy.  
“Love it,” he sighs. “Love you.”  
“L-Love you too,” Daphne whimpers. Her grinding is getting her worked up again and the idea of having Peter inside her is becoming more enticing by the second. “Condom?” she asks.  
“Condom,” Peter agrees hastily.

They hate having to let go of each other, but the second Peter has the condom slipped on his cock, they know things are going to get even more interesting very soon. There’s a moment of awkward waddling before they end up in the same position they were in before. Daphne admits she’d rather bottom. But then again, she loves to hump her pillow from time to time, so it will definitely be interesting to see what this is going to be like. She lines herself up with him. The condom is slick with lube and Daphne pauses.  
“Are you alright?” Peter asks, just to be sure.  
“Yeah,” Daphne says softly. “First time.” Peter nods.  
“You got this, dove.” He nods. “I got you.” Daphne gently takes Peter’s dick in her hands and slowly sinks down. To say he is a perfect fit is an understatement. The way he fills her up is nearly enough to make her cum again. Peter squeezes his eyes shut and scrunches his face. “Holy-“ he stops himself from finishing his sentence, but Daphne finishes it for him.  
“-Fuck.”  
“Fill you up so well,” Peter groans.  
“Perfect,” she whispers. “So good-“

Peter patiently waits for Daphne to feel comfortable enough to start moving, though once she starts, he nearly loses it. Their moans mingle as she raises and lowers herself on him, grinding circles as she goes. His hands rest on her hips, helping her push down on him while he thrusts up and squeezing her skin. Daphne shuts her eyes as she tries out different angles with every bounce. Peter figures out she’s trying to make him hit her G-spot. He half-remembers where it is and presses his fingers into her hip bones, angling her forward a little bit to position her correctly. It makes her back arch and he can’t help but stare at her chest as it heaves. He pulls her down on him and Peter’s cock hits exactly where she wants it to when she bottoms out.  
“Oh, my god.” Daphne’s eyes open wide as she gasps with every thrust. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!” Her hands find his on her hips and she tangles her fingers in his. She takes his hands off her and holds them between her and Peter. Every bounce feels better and better and Daphne starts squeezing around Peter’s cock, making him moan even louder.  
“Ah, Daph, Da-“ Daphne can only reply by throwing her head back. Peter brings down his arms, making Daphne follow along as their fingers are still intertwined. “So pretty,” Peter groans as he kisses her. “God, you’re _so_ pretty.” Daphne laughs through her moans and kisses.  
“You’re pretty too.” 

Peter responds by flipping them over, making Daphne yelp through their kiss. He pulls back and looks at her puzzled for a second, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. He gently raises her leg and places it over his shoulder. He immediately engrains this position in his brain when he starts thrusting, based on Daphne’s reaction. Little does he know she already seeing stars again, her body completely overrun by pleasure as each and every thrust gets her closer and closer to the edge. Peter pushes in even deeper in this position than they thought was possible. His thumb finds Daphne’s clit again and he starts rubbing it like his life depends on it. Daphne wraps her arms around Peter’s neck.

Peter is the only thing she can think of now. Everything else is beyond her. Her mind keeps repeating his on loop and she doesn’t realize she’s quietly chanting along with every single thrust. Peter nearly falls apart at Daphne repeating his name like that. Sighing. Panting. _Moaning._ The hand Peter’s not using to pleasure Daphne’s clit creeps around her lower back. His fingers softly press into her scar and the jolts of electricity it creates has Daphne rolling her eyes back in their sockets. The spark was the last push Daphne needed to be sent over the edge again.  
“P-Peter!” Tears glide down her cheeks as Peter keeps pounding into her mercilessly. The hand on her scar keeps the orgasm from fading and she clenches around Peter’s cock, eliciting another groan from him.  
“Atta girl,” he says before sucking at her neck. “Keep cumming for me- sound so gorgeous- oh-“ His movements become more and more erratic, chasing his own release. He’s close. So close. Daphne pulls his hair and presses a wet kiss on his jaw.  
“Peter,” she breathes in his ear. “Come for me, come, Peter, _I got you._” Her last words shoot through him like a missile and he releases. His orgasm has him quaking on top of her and he howls as he fills up the condom inside her.

They both pant and stare at each other for a bit, relishing in the afterglow. Peter’s muscles give way as he turns so they can lay together on their sides. Daphne whimpers as he slowly pulls out of her, leaving her empty, clenching around nothing. She has a dreamy smile on her face and she closes her eyes. Peter can’t do anything but stare at her. At how beautiful she is. His fingers caress her arm, tracing indistinguishable patterns on it. Exhaustion takes over Daphne’s mind and her face relaxes. She doesn’t notice Peter getting up from the bed to walk to the bathroom to throw out the condom, clean himself up, put on clean boxers and run a bath.

It’s only when Daphne feels two strong arms lifting her up from her mattress that she talks.  
“Wha-“  
“Gonna clean you up,” Peter mumbles as he carries her into the bathroom bridal style. He gently places her on the toilet so she can pee first. He walks out the bathroom and closes the door behind him, giving her some privacy. She can hear him fumble around in her room, but she’s not sure what he’s doing. She stares at the water running down the tap into the tub. A lavender aroma fills the room and Daphne closes her eyes again, losing track of time.

When Peter walks back into the bathroom, he closes the tap and cocks his head at Daphne.  
“Done?” Daphne nods slowly, her eyes still closed. Peter takes Daphne in his arms again and moves to the bath tub. She chuckles softly.  
“I can get in myself.”  
“I know,” Peter replies with a sweet smile. “Just wanna take care of you, dove.”  
“Mm…” Peter gently lowers Daphne into the pleasant, warm water and washes her. Daphne lets herself go and relaxes completely under the attention. He massages her skin, giving extra attention to the areas where he accidentally left hickeys or created slight bruising when he pressed his fingers into her a bit too harshly. Her hips are going to look… Interesting, tomorrow. Guilt washes over Peter as he leans down to rest his chin on the side of the bathtub. 

“Sorry for this,” he mutters as he circles his thumb around the area he squeezed the hardest. Right on her hip bones. She winces slightly at his touch, but scoffs with a smile on her face. She still has her eyes closed.  
“Do you have any idea how many bruises I get because of dancing?” Peter doesn’t reply. He’s seen her knees before, bruised a dark shade of green and blue after she practiced a modern piece at school. “You made me feel things I didn’t think I’d ever feel, Pete,” she sighs content. “If I didn’t like it, or if it genuinely hurt me, I’d have told you.” Peter presses a soft kiss on her temple as he continues to wash her.  
“Please,” he replies. “Don’t hold back.” Daphne can’t help but smile again.  
“As long as you don’t hold back either.”

Peter carefully dries Daphne with a warm towel while she sits on the side of the tub. When she moves to stand up, he swiftly places his arms around her again, lifting her, instead of letting her walk herself. He places her on her bed and she realizes he changed the sheets. That must’ve been his fumbling around while she was falling asleep on the toilet. The sheets smell freshly washed, but before he allows her to curl up into herself, he opens her drawers to grab underwear and pajamas. He slowly pulls up the underwear over her legs and lets his hands linger where he held her on her hips before. He helps her get into the night gown and gets in the bed as well. He pulls the sheets over them and places a quick peck on Daphne’s nose before pulling her in for an embrace. She hides her head against his chest and tangles their legs together. Daphne lets out a deep sigh and can’t help but press a kiss on his chest.  
“Love you,” she mumbles.  
“Love you too, dove,” he sighs as he rests his head on the clean pillows and closes his eyes. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking (haha, Spider-Pun) around! I'm expecting everything to go according to plan, which means there's only 10 more chapters to go!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	101. In Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A summary of the months leading up to Summer and a flashback to when Daphne and Ravir spent some time together.

Daphne cherished every second of her – literal – free time. Every day at school, all the evenings spent in Peter’s arms, the ballet classes, the rehearsals for the Swan Lake performances... Spending Saturday evenings at Avengers Tower became a fun habit and she got to get to know a lot of the Avengers quite well over time. She frequently visited Emma’s bakery with Peter and resumed taking over shifts for Marie at the store. Daphne did everything she could to lead the most normal life she could allow herself to have. Yes, Loki still visited monthly to check up on her and being friends with the Avengers isn’t exactly considered normal, but hey, she _felt _normal.  
  
At some point, near the end of March, Peter mentioned he started feeling heat around Daphne again. The fire was coming back. It scared him more than he liked to admit, but Daphne knew. Loki handed Peter the second vial and Daphne was present when Peter took it, this time. Knowing how it was made, had her feeling a little awkward about it, but Peter didn’t mind. The taste was still horrible, but he was doing it for a reason. For her.  
  
Something Daphne was incredibly grateful for, was that her curriculum went back to normal. Her classmates supported her through thick and thin and she did the same for them. Sarah was a little wary of Peter and Daphne dating again, but ultimately let it pass, since she found Peter cute. Sarah was easy to please. Fortunately for Daphne and Peter. The nerd classes and the art class got along rather nicely, but there was always room for some healthy rivalry. This often ended up with people pointing fingers at Peter and Daphne, who received the nicknames Romeo and Juliette. It didn’t take long before the entire school called them that. Even the people who didn’t know their real names.  
  
As much as there were a lot of positives in the months leading up to summer, there was one big downside: the speed at which time passed. Daphne mentally crossed out the days on a calendar in her head every time her alarm went off and it’s safe to say she hated how quickly April came by. The month marked the start of terrible insomnia. Whenever she slept, she’d have nightmares about Somm. With that, came the anxiety and paranoia. Starting conversations with strangers was a no go. Replying to strangers trying to start a conversation as well. When Daphne wasn’t at school, she was either at the ballet school, Avengers Tower or with Peter. She was only ever at home when she was a hundred percent certain her father would be there too. She was never by herself. Alone. Peter noticed her shift in behaviour first, when Daphne started holding her backpack on her chest again. A nervous habit she didn’t seem to have shaken after David got locked away permanently. Peter asked her about it and she did come clean about her fears. She explained that it felt like David was back, even though he wasn’t. Somm wasn’t even here, Peter would’ve felt the lurking danger. But the idea that he might be watching her, waiting for her, had Daphne act like this again.  
  
Daphne didn’t want to be alone. Ever.  
  
The second Tony caught on to Daphne’s anxiety, he wanted her out of New York. ASAP. He realized that’s where Somm knows to find her and what might be adding to her paranoia. Of course, she still had to finish her school year and there were rehearsals she’d have to attend, but surely, he can take her away from Manhattan for one short week, right? Just to get her to cool down a little. No strangers around. Only a couple Avengers and her father. Tony pretended the Avengers were offered the vacation in the same way as she was, but he actually did prefer having some kind of wall of protection around her. If shit goes south when they’re there, Tony won’t be able to beat a sorcerer by himself. Even if Peter is there as well, he had to keep a realistic mindset. He announced the vacation in May, right before the school’s finals, so that Daphne would have enough time to mentally prepare for it and arrange with Madame Touha that she’d be out for a week after the last day of school. He informed the Avengers that anyone who wanted to come with was welcome to, but with a certain look on his face that most of them caught on to. It was going to be busy in his Summer retreat.  
  
In the last few weeks leading up to Summer, Peter would have to wake up Daphne every single night, to shake her from the nightmares she was experiencing. It would always start with her talking in her sleep and Peter’s heart broke whenever he heard her beg in fear. He embraced her tightly, holding back his own tears, when he heard her mutter the words: “H-Have to die.” She would whimper Peter’s name, but also Somm’s and Loki’s. He awoke her quite roughly when she called out for Ravir. Peter still didn’t trust that sorceress. Something about her and the way Daphne spoke about her always seemed off. It made his Spidey sense (a name Daphne decided on when he brought up how ‘tingle’ wasn’t exactly a cool term for it) poke at his head. Ravir might not be _bad_. But she’s not good either, Peter knows that for sure.  
  
_…  
  
__“To keep the balance, things always happen in pairs.” Ravir carefully braids Daphne’s hair. She’s sat beside the golden basin Daphne is sitting it. She’s bathing in the blue potion that should help nullify Peter’s addiction. Daphne frowns as she stares at her pruned fingers.  
_ _“To what extent?” she asks quietly. Ravir hums monotone and Daphne closes her eyes, letting Ravir’s warmth wash over her. Obviously, Daphne’s faking her submission to Ravir. It’s not real. Daphne’s in complete control. She’s only pretending to be influenced by the sorceress. Ravir is falling for Daphne’s lies and Daphne is in no way actually affected by Ravir’s words and magic. Right?  
  
__The room the basin is in is relatively small compared to the rest of the palace, but it’s still completely gold. It looks like a Roman bath house. Daphne only felt self-conscious about being naked in front of Ravir for a little bit. She knows there’s something off about it. Daphne’s generally quite prude, but Ravir only said a few words of encouragement and Daphne no longer felt any shame. At least, Daphne remembers it being words of encouragement. She’s unsure if Ravir spelled her, or did anything else. She wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. Ravir’s been in her head a lot the past few days. However, Daphne feels quite in control of herself. Her mind feels like it’s still hers. She asks the questions, Ravir answers them. She’s the one calling the shots. She’s still only pretending. Right?  
  
__Loki doesn’t know about what Ravir has been ‘doing’ to Daphne, since he’s away a lot; keeping Odin at ease and fetching ingredients for the potion. Somehow, Daphne doesn’t feel the need to inform Loki of Ravir’s ‘hold on her’. Part of her thinks that’s also Ravir’s doing, but she always ends up telling herself she needs Ravir for this potion. Getting on her bad side wouldn’t be good for anyone and Ravir’s expressed her hatred for Somm often enough to know that she’s not a threat to Daphne. Whatever she did to Daphne has no negative side effects and in all honesty, it does feel kind of nice to ‘let go’. As long as Ravir thinks she’s controlling Daphne, Daphne can get all the information she wants. Besides, Ravir can’t use Daphne’s power, so the only thing Daphne has to fear is accidentally touching her. Ravir can’t use her. Right?  
  
__"You will have to die again in the same way you did before,” Ravir sighs. Daphne jolts and pulls away from Ravir, turning around in the basin to face the sorceress. Her hair falls down her shoulders, slowly untangling Ravir’s braiding with every movement.  
_ _“What?” Dread rushes through Daphne’s veins. “You’re saying I-“  
_ _”I do not make the rules, child.” Ravir reaches out for Daphne, careful, so that she won’t touch the potion. Daphne moves away a little further. “Death does.”  
_ _”I figured it wouldn’t be a pleasant feeling, but now you’re telling me I have to get struck by lightning? And die?! Again?!” Daphne’s breathing quickens. The panic aches her chest and the potion splatters with every move Daphne makes. “And what do you mean with ‘Death does’? I don’t want to die again, I never want to experience that again!”  
  
__R__avir still has her arm stretched out to Daphne and she cocks one eyebrow when she beckons Daphne to return to her.  
_ _“Come here, Zephyr,” she says, her voice low. Daphne’s breathing immediately steadies and her eyes glaze over for less than a second. Her shoulders droop and she moves back to Ravir without putting any thought into it. Well, that’s what she wants Ravir to think. She briefly wonders how Ravir’s words calmed her down so swiftly, but quickly credits her acting skills for that. The sorceress can still sense Daphne’s distress, so Ravir sighs. The sorceress gently takes Daphne’s shoulder in her hand and softly pushes to turn her around again. “Let me ease your mind.” Daphne admits the offer is tempting, so she indulges the sorceress some more.  
_ _“I don’t want to die again.” Daphne’s voice sounds weird and soft. Like she’s not speaking herself.  
__“I know you do not, child. But you have to. For all of us. You will meet Death like you did when you first died and after you pass Death’s final test, they will bring you back to us. And you will be a true Zephyr. Our savior.”  
  
__“I will meet Death…” Daphne repeats mindlessly, relaxing under Ravir’s soothing touch. There’s a pause as her brain processes Ravir’s words. “Death is a person?”  
_ _“Death is an entity. You cannot come back from the dead without their aid. You being sent back by Death the first time, means they considered you worthy of becoming a keeper of balance. And to keep balance, things happen in pairs. Your death is inevitable.”  
_ _“Do you know what test I have to pass? What happens if I don’t pass?” Ravir considers not telling Daphne, but the more the child can prepare for it, the higher the chances of success are.  
_ _“You will have to reconcile with emotions linked to the past deaths of people you care about.” Daphne would have tensed up again if Ravir’s attention hadn’t turned her to mush. She still had to keep up the act of being some kind of obedient thrall. Right. An act. “Everyone who died before you turn into a Zephyr will be waiting for you to work your way through your feelings about them. You cannot fail the test. If you cannot reconcile, you will simply be stuck in between worlds until you do.”  
  
__“How do you know all of this?” Daphne mumbles, feeling sleepy. She blames spending a day in the pleasant warm water instead of the sorceress gently running her fingers through Daphne’s hair, massaging her scalp.  
_ _“I have a new source who has seen all of this from up close.” The politically correct reply makes Daphne chortle quietly.  
_ _“Nuveth?” She asks.  
_ _“Loki was very angry with me for not telling him about my brother.” Ravir’s hand creeps around Daphne’s head to caress her cheek. The other still plays with her hair. “But you will not inform him of things I have not told him myself, now, will you, child?” Daphne closes her eyes. A dreamy smile spreads across her face.  
_ _“I won’t,” she sighs.  
_ _“What did we discuss today, my Daphne?” Ravir’s thumb rubs gentle circles on Daphne’s jaw._  
_“I will not tell Loki about Nuveth, I will die by lightning, meet Death and become a true Zephyr.” There’s a pause before Daphne’s lulled voice adds: “All for you.”  
_ _“Good girl. Now, sleep for me.” Daphne didn’t remember much from what happened after that. But that didn’t really matter. She only played along with Ravir’s little game. She is still in control._

_Right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time to start counting down! Chapter 101/110!


	102. The Summer Retreat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They arrive at the Summer retreat. Bucky has his suspicions. A storm is coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have been on a roll with writing the past few days! Enjoy! ^_^

Daphne’s bags slip from her fingers and land on the floor with a soft thud as she stares at the marvel that is Mr. Stark’s Summer retreat. It’s on the West-Coast, California, and it’s a modern interior designer’s wet dream. The floor plan was spacious and open, just like the Avengers Tower penthouse. Windows cover the entire length of the room, granting a beautiful view of the ocean and Tony’s private beach. It’s times like these where Daphne is confronted with how ridiculously loaded Mr. Stark is.  
  
“So, you’re planning on sleeping in the living room or what?” Tony quips as he nods at Daphne’s luggage with his eyebrows raised. Daphne blinks a few times to collect herself, rolls her shoulders and picks her bags back up.  
“Nah, I’m just… Fuck, you’re rich.” Tony snorts and walks past her into the living space. He raises one shoulder and snaps his fingers playfully, activating F.R.I.D.A.Y. Peter sneaks in from behind Daphne and smiles as he easily takes her bags from her. Daphne, still completely distracted by the house, doesn’t even realize.  
  
Tony glances at her worried. She doesn’t look great. Heck, she looks awful. Her skin is paler than usual, cheeks sunken in, there are dark circles under her eyes and she doesn’t carry herself like she used to. She was thin before, but she was practically a skeleton with skin at this point. Tony caught wind of Madame Touha not allowing her to practice the week before her vacation because she was physically not up to par to dance. Daphne needs this break more than anyone and he can’t help but hope with his entire heart that whoever or whatever decides her fate will grant her this one week off.  
  
Peter’s been here once before, so he easily finds his way through the maze of hallways to drop their bags in one room. He then points Derek to his room. Derek was a lot easier to convince to let Daphne and Peter share a bed than Tony. Derek knew Peter had secretly been sleeping over to calm Daphne down at night. Her father couldn’t be more grateful for the hero’s kindness. Tony needed a little more to be persuaded.  
_“No funny business in my house,”_ he’d said. Though, Peter guessed Tony probably said that to sound like a responsible adult. Peter had told him about Daphne having nightmares. She never wanted to talk about them or what they were about but Tony knew like no other what it’s like to be tortured by your own mind at night. Having Pepper next to him, saved him from Afghanistan, or the wormhole more often than not.  
  
Daphne’s hand glides over the marble of the kitchen counter as she walks towards the long row of windows. The weather is absolutely amazing and when she finally stands in front of it, she takes in the stunning view for a few seconds and closes her eyes, relishing in the golden warmth of the sun on her skin.  
_“Zephyr…”_ Daphne’s eyes shoot open and in her reflection, Ravir stands right behind her, a golden hand resting on Daphne’s shoulder. Daphne flinches and takes a step to the side, looking back to find the golden sorceress not there. She takes a deep, unsteady breath and takes another step back, out of the sun. Tony cocks an eyebrow at her.  
“You okay, kid?” Daphne swallows and stands frozen, her eyes flicking across the window, looking for Ravir in the reflection again. But she’s not there anymore.  
“Yeah,” Daphne mutters. “Yeah, I’m _fine_.”  
  
Tony scrunches his face and clears his throat in discontent. Daphne _really_ needs this break.  
“Who’s ready to partyyy?!” Sam throws his bags on one of the white couches, and Steve and Bucky walk in right behind him. When he notices Daphne’s expression, he immediately drops his arms and raises his eyebrows. “Sorry, did we interrupt something?” Tony meets Daphne’s anxious gaze and immediately jumps in.  
“Nah, nope,” he says while walking past Daphne towards the kitchen. He grabs a champagne from the fridge and some glasses from the cupboard. “All’s good.” Daphne bites the inside of her cheek and steals another glance at the window. She sniffs once and hugs herself. When she turns back to the small group, she’s startled to find Bucky standing right in front of her. His metal arm reflects the sun light, blinding her occasionally as he flexes, and he looks down on her with a frown.  
“Sure you’re alright, doll?” he asks. _Doll._ Tony explained to her that’s what guys called girls back in the day. And Steve mentioned that Bucky hasn’t called anyone that since… Well… Back in the day.  
  
Daphne knows Bucky’s been eyeing her lately. He once walked into her napping on the couch at Avengers Tower and whatever she said during that sleep, made him ghost around her more. He never really said much and never asked any questions. He just kept an eye on her. And though some might find it creepy, Daphne felt… Safer, somehow. He knows what mind control does to a person, so he must understand she’s afraid of Somm. That must be the reason why he’s around her more. Nothing else.  
  
“Peachy,” Daphne pushes out, quickly pressing her lips on top of each other. Bucky sucks at his teeth. She knows he doesn’t believe her. She wouldn’t believe her either. But no one has to know about Ravir. There’s no reason why Daphne should have to explain the sorceress ‘in her head’. It’s not important… Right? Bucky cocks his head, but nods and steps aside. When Daphne wants to walk away, his metal hand grabs hold of her upper arm, stopping her in her tracks. She looks up at him confused.  
“You can talk to me,” he says softly. There’s sadness behind his eyes. Daphne purses her lips.  
“I can talk to anyone,” she replies. It comes out a bit more snarky than she’d hoped, but it made him let go of her, which is all she really wanted. Daphne quickly breaks eye contact and walks through the door Peter just left in, trying to ignore the prying eyes on her back.  
  
…  
  
“What was that all about?” Tony tosses a small raspberry in his mouth and pulls a face when it turns out to be sour. Bucky’s eyes haven’t left the door yet. His expression is stern and his left eye twitches.  
“I think someone’s already inside her head,” is all he says. All the present Avengers immediately turn their heads to look at the door Daphne just walked through as well.  
“What?” Sam gets up from the couch, leaving his belongings behind. “How do you know?”  
“Two weeks ago…” Bucky says softly.  
  
_...  
  
Bucky walks into the penthouse of Avengers Tower, stretching his back and carefully placing his motor helmet on the counter. He grabs a glass from the cupboard and turns to the sink to fill it with water, but right before he opens the tap, he hears a soft whine. His senses immediately dial up to a hundred and, like a bullet, he turns to where the sound came from. Daphne’s on the couch, half covered by a soft blanket. She’s napping, he concludes, as he relaxes his muscles again. He’s about to turn back to the sink when she speaks.  
__“Anything,” she sighs. Bucky’s face contorts. He hates that word. It was often used during his… Everything halts and his eyes open wide, realizing what this could mean. _Conditioning._ He has to be careful not to shatter the glass in his metal hand and places it down gently, but forced, before making his way towards the sleeping ballerina on the couch with big, silent strides. Bucky sits down on the glass coffee table and leans forward towards Daphne.  
__“What did you just say?” he inquires quietly.  
  
__A nap is usually a light sleep. During his time as a Russian spy Bucky learned it is relatively easy to get answers he wants from people’s subconscious when they’re in a state like this. As long as he keeps his cool. Though, he has to admit he has a hard time keeping his cool right now.  
__“Do… anything.” It’s barely a whisper, but he heard her. His jaw tightens and he leans in even closer.  
__“For who?” His voice is low, nearly a growl. He couldn’t imagine someone already having a hold over her. Daphne doesn’t deserve this. She is too sweet to be used the way everyone says she will be used. His stomach turns. It would make sense with her recent behavior, but if Bucky has no way of proving it, he can’t accuse anyone. And he definitely doesn’t want Daphne to become more scared if this really was just a random dream.  
  
__The young girl’s face contorts and her eyes flutter open to meet Bucky’s. Daphne stares at him wide-eyed and confused, if not slightly startled by the short distance between them. He immediately pulls back until he sits up straight.  
__“Bucky?” Daphne asks softly. The Winter Soldier gets up swiftly and walks back to the kitchen, leaving Daphne on the couch, not saying a word, except for some quiet swears to himself. If someone did control Daphne, he had no way of proving it. Not without her answer. And knowing from personal experience on what kind of conditioning gets applied, she won’t answer him if he were to ask her now. Consciously. He’d have to watch her.  
  
_...  
  
“So, that’s why she’s so on edge? Someone’s already telling her what to do?” Steve frowns and Bucky shakes his head.  
“It’s only a theory. I have no proof.”  
“Honestly, I’d say that’s proof enough.” Tony cocks an eyebrow and crosses his arms. “Do you have any more theories?” Bucky glances at the door again and bites his lip. It takes him a few seconds to start talking again.  
“I think she’s fighting it. Subconsciously. That’s why she’s dreaming so much. I think whoever has a hold on her told her to not be scared, but she’s scared anyways. The contradicting thoughts confuse her, cause she can’t vocalize her fears. Hence the insomnia, the paranoia, all that.”  
  
“I’m kinda getting flash backs to when the silver dude put that silent spell on her,” Sam says while pursing his lips.  
“That memory prison shit?” Tony cocks his head.  
“She’s at war with herself, I think this goes a little deeper than simply not being able to talk about what’s bothering her.” Bucky pushes his metal hand through his hair. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea to confront her with it just yet.”  
“Why not?” Steve frowns.  
“We all want her to have a week off, to try and get her mind off things. I don’t think it’s a good idea to make an accusation like this about something she already knows, but can’t wrap her head around. And depending on what the one in her head told her, she might deny it and that will only antagonize us. We need her to trust us.”  
“You know better than anyone what it’s like,” Tony sighs. “Do you really think this is the best course of action?” Bucky looks down at the floor.  
“I don’t know,” he answers quietly.  
  
The Avengers are startled by Daphne yelling.  
“Peter!” They immediately jump to action and rush outside to where they heard her scream. There’s a collaborative sigh of relief when they see Daphne, hauled over Peter’s shoulder. He’s running towards shore and they’re laughing. “Put me down!”  
“Not just yet!”  
“No- Pete!” She hides her face in her hands to hide her giddiness and before she knows it, she yelps as she’s tossed in the water. The fresh water envelopes her completely and it takes a few seconds for her to come back up. Her face is covered by her long hair and she has to go back in the water to get it out of the way again. She wipes her eyes, blinking away the salty water with a cough and swears when she hears Peter laugh at her.  
“You looked like the girl from The Ring!”  
“Peter Benjamin Parker, get your ass over here now!” She shouts back as she splashes water his way. He easily dodges it and sticks out his tongue. Daphne wades out of the ocean towards Peter, water dripping down every part of her. She’s still collecting her breath. Her clothes are stuck to her body and she groans at the effort it takes to get out.  
“What are you gonna do, Daph?” Peter challenges her. “Think you can get me wet? Ten bucks says you won’t get even one drop of water on me!” He squats playfully and Daphne snorts.  
“We’ll see about that Spider guy!” She splashes again and the chase begins.  
  
Tony can’t help but smile melancholically at the scene unfolding in front of them. He hasn’t seen Daphne this carefree in weeks. He clears his throat and manages to rip his eyes away from the fluff.  
“Yeah.” He takes a breath and turns to the other Avengers that are present. “Let’s give her this week.”  
  
…  
  
“Buck,” Tony says simply as he sits down next to the Winter Soldier with a scotch in his hand. Bucky acknowledges Stark with a nod. He doesn’t take his eyes off the beach where Daphne and Peter are hanging out with all the other Avengers. Natasha and Bruce joined a day later than the rest. Pepper should be joining them tonight. It’s been three days since they arrived at the Summer retreat and Daphne was blooming. She started eating properly again and her nights have been less restless – according to both her and Peter. She’s looking like a person again, but as much as she might be doing better physically, Tony has his doubts about her mental health.  
  
“I, eh…” Tony clears his throat. “…did some snooping around.” Bucky cocks an eyebrow and takes a sip from his water, immediately understanding what Tony means.  
“Through her stuff?” He doesn’t judge. He’s done more bad things in his life than he would ever like to admit, so he’s not about to tell Tony Stark off for doing something like that.  
“Ew, no,” Tony scoffs. “Through her search history.” Bucky now raises both eyebrows and finally takes his eyes off the beach to glance at Tony. “I’m not really making it sound any better, but hear me out.” Bucky stretches his back and readjusts his tank top.  
“Alright.”  
“Daphne’s been scared of becoming ready, right?” Bucky nods once. “She doesn’t really talk about it, probably cause whoever wants her to be ready doesn’t want her to be scared of it.”  
“Makes sense,” Bucky chimes in, looking back at the ballerina on the beach.  
“Look at this.” Tony shoves his tablet under Bucky’s nose and he stares at it confused. It’s a long list of one repeated term. _Weather forecast.  
  
_“What am I looking at?”  
“This is her search history.” Tony scrolls, revealing more of the same searches. “Look at the times she’s searched this at.” Bucky frowns as he reads the grey letters under each hit. “She’s been obsessively checking the weather nearly every hour.”  
“Okay?” Bucky scratches his nose, waiting for Tony to continue his train of thought.  
“I figured it started when we arrived here, but when I checked her search history on the Tower’s WIFI, she’s been doing this since the start of May.” Goosebumps cover Bucky’s normal arm and he can feel a pit in his stomach form. “She knows more about when she will become ready than we do, right? Refuses to talk about it.” Bucky nods. “And we all know how she was created.”  
“She’s waiting for a thunder storm,” Bucky sighs and Tony pulls away his tablet. The billionaire drops back in his seat. An uncomfortable silence settles between them. It takes a while before Bucky finally dares ask the obvious follow-up question.  
  
“Is there a storm happening soon?” Tony shakes his head slowly. He looks at Daphne and Peter. Peter’s got his head in her lap, wet hair dripping down her legs. He has his eyes closed, enjoying the hot sun. Daphne tickles his skin by letting the soft sand slowly fall down onto his arms and belly and he chuckles.  
“I asked F.R.I.D.A.Y. to let me know the second there’s a change in the forecast, but as of now it’s only going to be sunny in the near future.”  
“Hmm.” Bucky sits forward, resting his elbows on his knees and folding his hands in front of his mouth. It’s probably why Daphne allowed herself to let go so much. As long as the forecast is good, she has ‘nothing’ to worry about. “Keep me updated.”  
“Yeah,” Tony sighs. He spots Daphne kissing Peter on the nose and he silently swears at himself. It’s probably bad that he got so attached to these two kids, but he can’t help himself. They’re adorable. His face contorts when Daphne stands up and turns her back to them. Her Lichtenberg scar covers her back like a crawling branch_. Lightning._ Tony suddenly doesn’t feel all that warm in the summer sun anymore. “Will do.”  
  
…  
  
Daphne stares at the ceiling of her bedroom. It’s the end of day four at the retreat. Or… Very early into day five. Daphne’s unsure. Peter has his arm around her torso, but is otherwise fast asleep, snoring softly. She can feel the rumble throughout her whole body. This wasn’t forecast. Heck, the forecast still says the sky should be clear. Is she dreaming this? Is this not actually happening? It feels real. _So real. _She can feel it both inside her and around her. It’s weird how she always thought she wouldn’t notice when she’s ready. But she does. The air is thick with anticipation. It’s happening. This is happening. _She’s ready_. Carefully, she raises Peter’s arm off her body and places it next to her. She slides off the mattress and tip toes to the living room. On her way there, she spots the light on in Bruce’s room. He must have noticed the rumbling too. When she reaches the open living space, she’s surprised to find Bucky blocking the glass door that leads outside.  
“Evening,” he says. Daphne chuckles nervously.  
“You mean, night?” Bucky’s stoic expression doesn’t change.  
“Why are you up?” Daphne can barely see him with the lights off, but his metal arm reflects the faint light from outside.  
  
“The, eh…” Daphne’s brain halts. She doesn’t know how to continue the sentence. She knows what she’s doing, where she’s going, but she doesn’t know how to vocalize it.  
“The storm.” Tony quips as he appears behind her. Daphne turns around wide-eyed. “That just somehow appeared out of nowhere.” Stark raises his eyebrows and angles his head down a little to look at her with big eyes. “As if by magic.”  
“I didn’t make it, if that’s what you think,” Daphne defends herself. Tony snorts.  
“No, I know that, but it was most likely made _for_ you. Am I correct?” Daphne looks down at her feet.  
“It’s time,” she mumbles. There’s a lump in her throat and tears prickle behind her eyes. She’s going to die again. She’s going to die again. She _has_ to die again. “I… I’m ready.”  
  
Bucky’s hands land on her shoulders and he squeezes softly, staring intently at Daphne. He holds her hostage, not with his hands, but with his eyes.“Is it time because you know it is? Or is it time because someone told you it is?” She takes a breath and looks away.  
“I know it is,” she mumbles. Bucky hates to admit he can’t find an ounce of insincerity in her eyes. Maybe whoever is controlling her, isn’t controlling her for this.  
“Kid, you gotta tell us what’s going to happen.” The rumbling outside gets louder as Tony speaks. The flashes of lightning are still far away, but the mere presence of the storm makes Daphne’s scar twitch. Her anxiety increases by the second.  
“If I told you, you wouldn’t let me go outside,” she mutters.  
“It’s storming, Daph, we were not going to let you go outside anyways.” Tony pushes his hand through his hair, but Bucky stares at Daphne wide-eyed.  
“You have to get struck again, don’t you?” His voice is low and his breaths are short.  
  
“_What?!_” Tony pushes out with his teeth pressed on top of each other. Daphne’s crying now. She doesn’t want to go outside, but she has to. She just has to. Every fibre in her body is ordering her to go outside. She sobs.  
“The lightning’s going to strike me whether I want it to or not. I’d rather have it hit me outside than through the roof of this house.”  
“What will happen when you get struck?” Bucky asks. His voice is shaky. Neither Daphne nor Tony have ever seen him this distressed. Daphne presses her lips on top of each other and wildly shakes her head as the tears continue to stream down her face.  
“Please, let me go,” she pleads. She opens her hand, revealing the Raven charm. “And call for Loki.” There’s a big flash and only moments later the thunder shakes the windows. Daphne tenses up and makes herself small, struggling against Bucky’s strong hold. The billionaire and the Winter Soldier share a look and Tony mutters under his breath.  
“Fuck.”  
  
…  
  
Peter nearly crashes into the living room.  
“What’s going on?! Where’s Daphne? It’s storming outside, she shouldn’t be alone right now!” He spots Tony and Bucky at the window, looking outside. Bucky immediately turns around and takes big strides towards Peter. Tony’s worried glance has Peter’s breath hitch in his throat. _She’s outside?!  
_“Pete, it’s better if you-“ Bucky tries, but Peter interrupts him.  
“No, where is she?!” Peter easily evades Bucky and joins Tony at the window. There’s no more air in his lungs when he spots Daphne in the middle of the beach, her head down.  
“We have to go get her-!”  
“Peter.” Tony’s stern voice has Peter stop in his tracks. The look in his eyes says enough and Peter’s world stops turning when he remembers what she once said while dreaming. Before Peter even gets the chance to move again, there's a bright, white flash and a loud crash of thunder at the exact same time. The bolt of lightning leaves their vision as fast as it appeared. Peter can only barely make out the silhouette of Daphne's body stiffening and when the bright light disappears, she relaxes completely, turning to mush. Her legs can't hold her up anymore and she drops down into the sand, on her side, jolting occasionally. Peter's glued stuck where he stands. His lip quivers. Her dreams... Her whimpers... Daphne knew this was going to happen.  
  
_"H-Have to die.”_


	103. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death pays Daphne a visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst, yall. So much angst.
> 
> Warnings:  
There's a dead body. It's not gruesomely described but the word "corpse" is used a few times. There's also a large wound. It's got sand in it. Again, no gruesome descriptions, but if it irks you, please be mindful!

Peter feels like he’s in the horror version of Baywatch. He’s running over the sand, as fast as he can, towards Daphne’s lifeless body, but everything about it feels like he’s going in slow motion. As he makes his way over the beach, the sky magically clears again. Bright stars and a full moon illuminate the shore, making the small sand crystals shimmer, leaving no trace of the impact that just happened. He slides on his knees when he’s near enough and he barely has the composure to lift her limp body out of the sand. Her scar opened again and Peter stares at the blooded branches that have extended even further over her back. Some even carefully wrap around her shoulders and one ends at her left collar bone.

Peter’s breath hitches in his throat. Her wounds are filled with sand and when he carefully shifts her so he can see her face, a sob escapes his mouth. Her eyes are open, but they lack Daphne’s spark. They’re empty. Peter places his hand in front of her mouth, trying to ignore her slacked jaw, but he can’t feel her warmth. She’s not breathing. He pushes his ear on her chest as his own body jolts through his sobs, squeezing his eyes shut. _No heartbeat._ He realizes. _No heartbeat, no heartbeat, no heartbeat-_

“Dove,” he whines. “Wake up, dove-“ He glances at the shore. The sound of waves crashing washes through his head. “Wake up, wake up-“ He embraces her tightly, feeling the bloodied sand, coarse, on her back. Peter presses Daphne against him, holding her head in one of his hands. His face disappears in her hair. The mixed smell of her pomegranate shampoo, the ocean’s salt and the scorched skin overwhelms him as he sobs.  
“Spider.” Loki appears next to him. “We need to clean her up, now.” Peter angles his body away from Loki, protecting Daphne from his reach.  
“No- no, no, no-“ There aren’t any words for what Peter’s feeling right now. His entire body aches with sadness. He doesn’t notice he’s rocking Daphne and himself back and forth. “Don’t- don’t- don’t-“ Loki squats next to them and places a gentle hand on Peter’s shoulder.  
“She will come back to us, Peter.” This makes the teen look up at the demi-god. He doesn’t recall Loki ever calling him by his first name. 

Loki stares at the boy. His eyes are red and his cheeks are puffed. His breathing is erratic and Loki can practically hear the kid’s heartbeat. The entire lower half of his face is covered in tears and the only terminology he can think of is what Midgardians call “ugly crying”. Loki scoffs. It’s difficult for him to wrap his head around the fact that someone can love another so deeply. Loki already settled on the idea that Daphne would die a lot sooner than he would, being different species and all. The spider’s heart is just… So big. It almost aches him to see Peter so distressed. Almost.  
“Wha- what do you mean?” Peter’s voice is slurred and he sniffs as he looks back at Daphne’s face. Loki quickly closes her dulled eyes with one swift swipe of his hand, ensuring the boy won’t be too caught up in the fact that yes, that is the one he loves. Dead. In his arms.

Loki sighs deeply and cocks his head as he stands up from his squatting position. He looks back at the Iron Man’s Summer house and spots everyone has woken up and gathered in front of the windows. He makes eye contact with Tony, who stares at him intently. Loki frowns when he sees anger on Stark’s face. Almost… Accusatory. Loki could groan. What did he do wrong this time? Loki looks back at the young hero, still clutching Daphne in his arms. He purses his lips.  
“I will explain what I know when we get inside. We need to wash the dirt off her wound. And I prefer to only tell my story once.” He cocks one eyebrow at Peter, who looks up at him with doe eyes. “Spider,” he tries once more. “For Daphne.”

The mention of her name seems to shake the boy out of it and he carefully stands up, trying not to make it any worse. Her body hangs limp in his arms and he pulls a face when his arm scratches her wounds.  
“I- I can’t not touch it,” he mumbles. Loki places a reassuring hand on Peter’s shoulder and nods.  
“All will be fine. Just need to clean her up and lay her down somewhere.” They slowly walk back towards Stark’s house and when they’re close enough they can see the stirring inside the house. Bucky’s holding back Derek from running out and before Peter can walk up the last couple of stairs to the door, Loki stops him.  
“What’s wrong?” Peter asks worried. He can already feel Daphne’s body cooling down from the brisk summer night breeze.  
“I should probably explain to them that no Midgardian medical aid will actually get her back. Crowding over Daphne will not help her. Someone is going to have to wash her. Her wounds, specifically.” Peter’s lip twitches.  
“Nat’s here,” he mumbles. “She’s probably washed a ton of wounds.”  
“Ah, the other Spider.”  
“To an extent,” Peter grumbles. He doesn’t understand why Loki is stalling for time. He wants to get inside. Now. He wants to take care of Daphne, get her warm again. _Bring her back._

Peter swiftly pushes past Loki and Bucky opens the door to let him in. Derek immediately rushes to his daughter but Loki puts up one hand behind Peter, stopping the distressed father in his tracks.  
“She is not with us. We cannot do much right now.” He turns his attention to Natasha and is happy to spot another woman, Tony’s other half… _What’s her name again? Ah, well_. “These wounds require cleaning. I suggest a shower. There is quite a bit of sand-“  
“What did you do to her?” Tony growls, startling the demi-god slightly.  
“What did I do to her?” Loki puts his open palm on his chest. “Do I look like I can create lightning? You must have mistaken me for my twat of a brother.”  
“You’ve been manipulating her, haven’t you?!” Peter looks at Tony confused and shifts his attention back to Loki.  
“Excuse me?” The demi-god replies offended.  
“Don’t play dumb!”  
“I am not playing,” Loki groans and dramatically gestures to Daphne with both hands. “If the ladies would be so kind to take care of the corpse that the boy is carrying, that would be great!” Everyone stares at Loki in disbelief. His ability to be an absolute dick is shining through once again. 

“Unbelievable.” Tony presses the bridge of his nose with two fingers as he turns away.  
“C-corpse?” Derek stares at Loki in disbelief. “She’s…?”  
“Not for long.”  
“What do you mean ‘not for long’?” Natasha frowns and nods at Daphne before raising an eyebrow at Loki.  
“She will stay like this until Death brings her back to us.”  
“For the love of God,” Tony spits out with a clenched jaw. He presses his fingers on his thumbs to emphasize every syllable. “Elaborate.”  
“I will tell you once those wounds are clean, it is too complicated to explain in a few words.” Loki glances at the hallway that leads to the doors. “So, am I going to have to do it or-“  
“Shut up,” Natasha growls as she swiftly walks past Peter towards the hallway.

…

Once Natasha, Pepper and Daphne are all set in the bathroom, Peter and Loki make their way back to the living room where everyone’s still waiting. Derek, who was pacing in front of the windows, immediately rushes towards them.  
“Is she really-?”  
“Pairs,” Loki sighs, making everyone look up at him. He glances at Tony who still seems to be shooting daggers at him with his eyes. He now also notices the metal armed man in the kitchen toying with a large knife. Loki makes note of it, but he’s not fazed. “I was not sure it would apply to Zephyrs too, but this explains a lot.”  
“Pairs?” Steve cocks his head and Loki nods, taking a breath.  
“Magic requires balance.” He takes a step forward and moves his hands as he speaks. “Balance requires pairs. Even numbers.” He makes eye contact with Derek. “Daphne’s first death was 8 years ago. It’s only a few more days before it’s 9 years ago. Uneven number. Cannot have that.”

“That’s why she’s ready now?” Bruce crosses his arms, hugging himself tightly. He was still a little shaken up from the loud impact earlier, but at least the Hulk hasn’t showed himself.  
“It is the only logical explanation.”  
“And the pair-thing is also the reason why she had to die again? The same way?” Sam frowns and cocks his head. Loki looks down and nods slowly.  
“Most likely.” It’s quiet for a second. Peter hasn’t said a word so far, only looking down at his feet, still feeling the weight of Daphne’s limp body against his chest.  
“When will she come back?” Tony still sounds annoyed.  
“Could be a few hours, could be a few days.”  
“Won’t her body-“  
“No.”  
“How?” Bruce steps forward and Loki instinctively shuffles backwards. He’s not afraid of the small man, but his other side is intimidating to say the least. Knowing the scientist has control over when he transforms and is unkillable due to the beast’s reflexes, isn’t very good for Loki’s composure.

“She will meet Death.” Loki raises his hand to stop the Avengers from asking questions he has to answer anyways. “To keep it simple for your Midgardian minds: yes, Death is a person... To an extent. And no, Death does not visit everyone who dies. Only the ones they deem worthy of their time.” He glances at the hallway, in Daphne’s general direction. “Daphne really is special.” He rolls his shoulders as he shifts his attention back to the group. “I do not know much of what will happen, but Daphne will speak with Death like she did when she first died.”  
“Wait- she already met… Death?” Derek stares at Loki wide-eyed.  
“She does not remember,” Loki says as he clears his throat. “Apparently, even I do not know exactly what happened back then. I thought I was the one who brought her back, but it was Death.”  
“The coma…” Derek mumbles, lost in thought.  
“She was not in coma.” Loki purses his lips. “The Echor spell I put on Daphne somehow made it seem like she was alive, but she was with Death until she woke.” He chuckles. “Your hospital was taking care of a corpse, thinking it was alive.”  
“This is all messed up.” Tony rubs his eyebrows with his thumb.

“So, she’s going to be like this for days?” Steve scoffs.  
“We cannot know. Once Death arrives here to have a word with her- which might take a while, since they have a busy schedule- we might know more.” He sniffs. “I am still connected to Daphne, if I try hard enough I might be able to catch a few things.”  
“Oh-! Right, speaking of being ‘connected’…” Tony clears his throat and moves towards Loki. “If there’s one thing Daphne’s scared of, it’s being controlled by someone. You knew this, yet you still messed with her?” The question is almost posed rhetorically. Loki frowns and looks down at the small man, who is quite harmless without his armor.  
“What are you implying?” His tone is threatening, but Tony doesn’t back down.  
“Aren’t you the one haunting her dreams? Putting her on edge?” Tony accuses. Loki’s eyebrows shoot up.  
“I am not. Are you telling me Somm is already in her head?”  
“We don’t know who’s in her head,” Bucky finally speaks from the kitchen. “But we know someone is.”

Peter frowns. Daphne did call out for Loki a lot in her dreams. But also for Peter… His eyes go wide when he realizes…  
“It’s not Loki,” he mutters. Peter hasn’t spoken since he walked in, so hearing his small voice startles the room. Peter looks at Loki. “We all know Loki would never do anything Daphne doesn’t want him to do.”  
“Then who do you think is in her head?” Tony asks. Peter stares at the spot on the couch where Daphne sat earlier that evening.  
“I’ve spent pretty much every night with her the past few months to wake her up when she had nightmares.” Peter speaks fast, a blank look on his face. “She called out for us, mostly.” He glances at Loki and clears his throat. “But one night it took a lot to wake her up, thought she was stuck. I nearly broke her arm.” Loki takes a step closer to Peter, looking down at the teen with a dark expression.  
“Who did she call out for?” Loki’s voice is low and Peter swallows. He steals a glance at Tony and his voice is shaky when he speaks again.  
“Ravir.”

…

Daphne is carefully placed on her side on the white couch, ensuring she’s not resting on the wounds that are no longer bleeding. The situation is strange to say the least. Daphne’s body is now cold, but she’s not stiff. She’s not breathing. F.R.I.D.A.Y. was ordered to keep an eye on her and to notify the people present of any changes in her vitals. For now though, there aren’t any vitals to read. No heartbeat. No brain activity. She is really, truly, dead. Her wound is not bleeding anymore, but it’s not healing either. Loki sits down on the floor next to her and Tony hates to admit that the scene looks… Right, somehow. Loki’s hand ghosts over Daphne’s forehead and ends up resting on her temple. It took the sorcerer a lot of self-control to remain calm when Peter told him of Ravir. He quietly hissed and informed the others that “he would pay the golden sorceress a visit she would not live to remember.”

It’s awkward in the living space. Quiet. Everyone stares at the two at the couch, not wanting to leave, but also not wanting to wait and watch for however long this could take. No one dares to say a word. Sam is about to break the silence with a joke to lighten up the mood, when suddenly a cold shiver washes over everyone. Loki’s eyes immediately sparkle and he shuffles even closer to Daphne.  
“What was that?” Natasha asks with a frown. She hugs herself to keep warm, as do a few of the others. Loki’s voice is coated with wonder when he replies.  
“Death is here.”

Some of the people in the room look around, trying to see if there is actually a person among them, but there’s no one there. At least, to most. Peter stares at a corner of the living space, eyes stuck on a weird dark shadow. Without noticing, he stops breathing.  
“Child,” Loki says quietly, slightly tilting his head to Peter and following the teen’s gaze. “You sense them?”  
“Don’t you?” Peter whispers. A small smile flashes on Loki’s face, intrigued by the fact that a Midgardian child with insanely heightened sensitivity can feel Death like only a proficient sorcerer could. Peter slowly nods in the direction he’s staring at. His voice shakes. “It’s there-“ Suddenly, the shadow shifts. It moves carefully in Peter’s direction. His wide eyes have to look up to where the shadow’s face should be. It’s right on front of him and Peter could swear he can feel the being’s cool breath on his face.  
“Breathe, Peter…” Loki orders gently. Peter’s muscles tense when he realizes he’s blocking Death’s path to Daphne. He can’t get himself to take in air. “And move.” Peter steps aside, feeling the dull, icy presence move past him. Peter’s body twitches involuntarily. When Death reaches Daphne, Loki lets go of her and before anyone can say a word, the summer night warmth returns. Peter stares at Daphne’s body, barely believing he just saw Death literally go through her. He finally gasps for air and falls backwards into the arm chair, clutching his chest.

“Yo,” Sam mutters. “That was some intense crap.” Loki barely contains a snort and turns to Peter, raising his eyebrows at the teen.  
“How are you, Peter?” Peter’s slightly taken aback by the question and everyone in the room shuffles. It’s somehow less comfortable when the demi-god uses their names rather than the nicknames he has for them. Only Daphne used to have the privilege of hearing her name from him. Peter’s still panting slightly and his face contorts.  
“That…” His hand pushes through his hair and his eyebrows go up. “…Was _so_ cool.” He looks at Loki with wide eyes. “Was that actually Death? Did I actually _see_ Death?” Loki chuckles at the child’s sudden excitement and nods. Everyone else in the room is still uncomfortable. Especially now that Peter’s emotional state is all over the place.  
“Daphne will see their true form in her mind, but yes, what just occurred can definitely be considered a meeting with Death.” Peter looks up at the ceiling and rubs his chest again.  
“So cold…” He mutters. He then frowns. “I wonder what they look like.”  
“Daphne will see them, but it is likely she will not remember meeting Death, like last time.” Peter looks at Daphne’s peaceful face. Whatever Death did, Peter feels less scared, somehow. 

“Why do I feel different?” Peter asks, still staring at his dead girlfriend’s face.  
“Death is more comforting than one would think.” Loki plays with Daphne’s hair. “Quite literally.” Peter leans forward slightly.  
“Weird…”  
“It-“ Loki interrupts himself. His brows curl up into a frown and he stares intently at Daphne’s features. His hand once again cups her face. “They’ve met-“ he mumbles.  
“Can you hear them?” Tony asks, internally not admitting he’s actually really intrigued.  
“Just… Parts…” Loki focuses on Daphne. His eyes flick over her face, like he’s trying to read her like a book. “Hm.”  
“Hm?” Tony cocks an eyebrow.  
“Daphne has to pass some sort of test,” Loki mumbles. “Reconciling with people she knew who died?” Loki turns to look at Derek. “Do you know if she has any grudges against people who died? Or other unresolved feelings?” Derek rubs his chin and sighs deep.  
“There’s only one I can think of, to be honest.”  
“Who?” Tony asks before Loki can.  
“Amélie,” he sighs. “But Daphne didn’t know her personally.”  
“Who’s Amélie?” Peter frowns. He feels like he’s heard that name sometime before, but he can’t place it.  
“Amélie was Madame Touha’s daughter.”


	104. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne reconciles and learns about what she is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up!
> 
> Warnings: Pedophilia is vaguely described. Cancer is mentioned. Lots of death stuff.

“Have…” Daphne pauses, unsure if she should continue her question. “Have we met?” She stares at a person, dressed in dark cloaks. They stand opposite her, yet they seem to be floating above ground. Only their face and their hands are visible.  
“Once before.” Their voice is indistinguishable and incomparable. Vague, would be a good way to describe it. They smile kindly, slightly angling their head. “I am Death.” Daphne’s shoulders hang low as she stares at the being in front of her. She’s actually having a conversation with _Death_.  
“Well, I’m-“  
“Daphne,” Death replies for her. “I know.” Daphne hugs herself. There’s a strange cold feeling both inside her and around her. They’re standing in what seems like an eternal darkness. The ground they’re standing on can only just be distinguished from the void that is the sky.

“I was told I’d have to pass a test.” Death nods.  
“You were told correctly. One like you has to be pure of heart. Do you know what the test entails?” Daphne pouts as she thinks back to her conversation with Ravir.  
“Reconcile with people who died?” Death floats towards Daphne. She doesn’t move. She couldn’t if she tried. When Death reaches her, they bring up their hand to caress a strand of hair behind her ear. All they do then is smile and suddenly, the ground under Daphne’s feet disappears.

...

Daphne gasps as she opens her eyes. She’s still in the same void, but Death is nowhere to be found. She expected to land on her butt, but the falling just stopped and she stood again. By herself. Like the surreal stuff you see in psychological thriller films. Daphne looks around confused, trying to find the cloaked person again. Instead, she spots two middle-aged people in the distance, holding hands.  
“Hello?” Daphne calls out. The couple turns and Daphne gasps quietly.  
“Daphne.” The woman states her name like it’s poison. Daphne’s jaw tightens and she can feel the pit in her stomach grow bigger.  
“Dana,” Daphne whispers. She can’t believe they’re here. That she has to reconcile with them. The slither of hope she had of them shedding their silver fades like a dying flame. Daphne looks at the man who seems like he’s ready to rip her to shreds. “Ivan…” Daphne takes a deep breath and only barely finds the courage to walk towards the couple. When she reaches them, she looks down, not daring to face them properly.  
“You-“ Ivan points at her accusingly. “You ruined our boy!” Daphne makes herself small and fiddles with her fingers.  
“I never meant to-“  
“It doesn’t matter if you meant to!” Dana shouts. “My son-“ Dana starts sobbing. “My beautiful David- This is all YOUR fault!”

Daphne lets them yell at her for what feels like an eternity. However, she thinks, their aggression is justified. She deserves their anger. It doesn’t matter if she meant to do all of this to David. It doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter. In the end, it _is_ her fault. She’s the Zephyr. She’s the drug he got addicted to. She’s the one who turned David from the sweet poet with the voice of an angel into a psychopathic stalker with malicious intent. She’s the reason they’re dead.  
“I’m sorry.” Her voice cracks and she can’t hide her own sobs. Tears stream down her face. “I’m _so_ sorry.”  
“Sorry won’t get us our son back! Sorry won’t bring us back to life!” Ivan roars.  
“I know-“ Daphne exclaims. Suddenly, there’s rage boiling inside her. They keep yelling at her, but they’re not moving it forward. It’s just yelling. “I know!”  
“How _dare_ you talk back at us!” Dana stomps her foot.  
“I know I’m the reason David turned into who he is now and I am sorry for what happened, but I can’t change it!” Daphne shouts. “I can’t turn back time! I can’t undo this!” Her knees buck, but she somehow manages to stand strong. “But _please_ tell me what to do to make things right! What do I do to fix this?!”  
“You can’t fix this!” Dana belts.  
“Then why are you still yelling at me?! You know I can’t do anything about it! I’m sorry! You have _NO_ idea how sorry I am! I never meant for this to happen! I do everything I can to be a good person!” It suddenly clicks. “It’s… It’s not my fault! I don’t deserve to be the victim of blind anger for something I can’t do anything about!”

The second she finishes her sentence, the floor under Daphne’s feet disappears like it did before. Once again, she falls, but she doesn’t. The void she “lands” in, is empty again. David’s parents are gone and her tears feel dry on her cheeks. Death’s whispers echo through the space, repeating Daphne’s words to her.  
“I don’t deserve to be the victim of blind anger for something I can’t do anything about.” Daphne turns, trying to find Death, but there’s no one there. “It’s not my fault.”  
“Death?” Daphne calls out. The entity ignores her.  
“We will move on to the next phase of the test.”  
“What do you mean?” Daphne asks. Panic rises in her chest. This isn’t going the way it’s supposed to go. “Shouldn’t I have made up with them? I feel like I made things worse!” Daphne turns again and is startled by Death, right in front of her. Their face nearly touches hers and their soothing voice is only a whisper.  
“You are not here to reconcile with them.” Death smiles once more and before Daphne can reply, she falls again.

This time, Daphne immediately spots the deceased she’s supposed to talk to. It’s a little girl, sitting on the ground, fiddling with her dress. She notices Daphne from the corners of her eyes and turns around to sit on one knee. She cocks her head at Daphne, who holds her breath as she stares at the child.  
“Who are you?” The child looks up at Daphne with big eyes and Daphne takes short, uncertain steps to the girl.  
“Daphne,” she says quietly. “I’m… friends with your mom.” The girl perks up and twists so she can sit on both her knees, her butt bounces on her heels.  
“Maman! How is she doing? I haven’t seen her in a while!” Daphne smiles and squats next to the child.  
“She’s doing well, Amélie,” Daphne sighs and can’t help but stare into the bright, shining eyes. Amélie looks at her surprised.  
“You know me?”  
“I have seen pictures of you at the school.” Daphne decides to sit down properly next to Amélie and she crosses her legs. Amélie holds her hands together. “And I know what happened to you.”

Amélie looks down and frowns before making eye contact again.  
“Chris?” Daphne feels a shudder through her body when Amélie mentions the name.  
“Chris is behind bars for what he did to you.” A soft scoff escapes her mouth. “Maman has a bat with his name engraved on it for when he gets out.”  
“Really?” Amélie looks at Daphne with wonder sparkling in her eyes. Her expression falters though, and she looks down. Sadness washes over Daphne and it takes a little bit for Amélie to ask a question Daphne hoped she wouldn’t ask. “Why did he do it?” Daphne clenches her jaw and glances away. She can’t find it in herself to lie to Amélie.  
“Chris was 16 when he joined the ballet school.” Daphne clears her throat, working hard to find the courage to continue. “He… Was a little sick in his head, but no one knew or noticed.”  
“Sick?”  
“He liked to play with little kids in a way the little kids didn’t like.” Daphne has no idea how to phrase it so that the 8-year-old could understand without making it too vague or too explicit.

Amélie looks down again and tugs at the hem of her knee-length dress.  
“The way he played with me too?” Daphne’s heart sinks.  
“Y… Yeah.”  
“Why does he like to play with kids like that?” Once again, it takes a second for Daphne to form a reply. Amélie is surprisingly disarming and it made this conversation a whole lot more confrontational.  
“Because… It made him feel nice.”  
“It hurt me.” Daphne nods, pursing her lips. “Did… Did he join maman’s school just so he could play with us?” Goosebumps cover Daphne’s skin.  
“He’s the reason Madame Touha doesn’t like to accept new guys into the school. He’s a bad man, Amélie.”

Daphne shakes her head and hides her face in her hands.  
“Are you crying?” Amélie asks naively.  
“Not yet,” Daphne scoffs.  
“But you’re sad?”  
“I am.” Daphne doesn’t know what else to say. It remains quiet for a bit. Daphne is startled when she feels two small arms embracing her. “Amélie?”  
“Maman always hugged me when I felt sad. Made me feel better. Maybe it makes you feel better too.” And that does it. Daphne lets out a quiet sob as the tears start flowing again. She twists her body and reaches out to hug Amélie back.  
“I don’t deserve to see you.” Daphne can barely breathe. Her hand rests on the girl’s head. “Your maman does.”  
“You really like maman, don’t you?”  
“She’s like a mother to me,” Daphne replies quietly. “And that’s why I’m so sad.” Amélie pulls back from Daphne, leaving her small hands to rest on Daphne’s shoulders. Amélie looks at her with questioning eyes.

“I don’t get it.” Daphne smiles through her tears and puts a strand of Amélie’s hair behind her ear.  
“I joined the ballet school a month after Chris murd-“ Daphne interrupts herself and looks down, eating her words. “I was your age, Amélie.”  
“Nuh-uh,” the girl says, shaking her head aggressively. “You’re way older than me.” Daphne chuckles through her tears.  
“Back then I was just as small as you are.” Amélie pouts and frowns, but nods eventually.  
“Okay then.” She cocks her head. Daphne can almost see the cogs turn in her head. “But… Why are you sad?”  
“I’m sad because…” Daphne doesn’t know how to put her feelings into words. There’s so much going through her head right now. “I… I don’t deserve the chances I got. You should’ve received the Stark scholarship. You should be at the top ranks of the school. You should be the one performing Odette in the Swan Lake performance.”  
“You think you took my spot?” Daphne nods slightly, taken aback by the bluntness of Amélie’s comment. The girl scoffs. “Well, duh.” Daphne’s brows curl up into a frown.  
“Duh?”  
“I mean, if I leave an empty spot, someone’s gotta fill it! Otherwise it will just be an empty spot! Can’t have that!”

Daphne can’t believe her ears. Amélie looks at this situation with the eyes of an 8-year-old and somehow, it puts everything into perspective.  
“Aren’t you sad that you didn’t get to do all of these things?” Amélie smiles and puts her open palms on Daphne’s cheeks.  
“Where I live now I get to dance every day! Do you get to dance every day too?” Daphne nods, bringing the kid’s hands along with her movement.  
“Your maman is a great teacher,” Daphne says with a smile, but it falters. “She misses you a lot.”  
“I miss maman too! But one day she will come here and we can dance together again!” Daphne can’t keep her composure and pulls Amélie in for a hug again. Her sobs are quiet, but they’re there. Amélie chuckles, but hugs Daphne back. “You don’t have to be sad for me. I am happy, so you should be happy too.” Amélie pulls back again and raises her eyebrows. “I’m glad you took my spot.” She glares off in the distance. “And not stupid, mean Demi.” Daphne sniffs and laughs. Demi is still in Daphne’s class, but even back then she was a bitch, apparently. Daphne wipes her tears with the back of her hand and smiles at Amélie.  
“Thank you, Amélie.” Daphne takes in Amélie’s soft features and kind smile and swallows. She looks a lot like her mother. _Madame Touha._ “I’m… I’m glad I took your spot too.” Daphne blinks… And she falls.

...

Daphne needs a minute to catch her breath. This whole test thing was a lot more intense than she expected. Yet, every time she falls she forgets this is a test. That this is a thing she has to pass. It’s almost like Death doesn’t want her to be aware of it. Maybe because that could affect the way she approaches it. Her conversations have to be sincere. Daphne looks at her hands and takes a deep breath. She can feel Death’s presence behind her and she turns when Death speaks her words again.  
“I’m glad I took your spot too,” Death says. Daphne looks up at Death and cocks her head.  
“Can you please explain how this test works? What am I supposed to do? Am I doing this right?” Death smiles and Daphne pulls a face, anticipating the drop.  
“You are not here to reconcile with them,” Death repeats and the ground disappears under Daphne’s feet once again.

_“One more…”_ Death whispers in Daphne’s head.

Daphne opens her eyes with a gasp. The drops are taking a toll on her. She wonders who she will meet this time. But she’s tired. So tired…  
“Daphne?” Daphne’s eyes go wide when she recognizes the voice. She doesn’t move. She doesn’t turn. She doesn’t want to. “Daphne, is that you?”  
“No,” Daphne mutters quietly. Daphne turns her head slowly. It takes her a lot of effort, like she’s holding herself back.  
“Oh, Daphne,” the woman sighs, tears welling up in her eyes. “You’ve grown to be so beautiful!” She takes big steps towards Daphne, who jolts and steps away. She finally looks the woman in her eyes and Daphne can feel the weight of the world on her entire body. She shakes her head slowly.

“You don’t get to say that-“ Daphne mumbles. “You don’t get to tell me that.” The woman seems taken aback by Daphne’s remark, but tries nonetheless.  
“Don’t you remember me?”  
“Of course I fucking do.” Daphne swallows and looks away. She then stomps and pulls at her hair. “Fuck. Fuck! God fucking dammit, FUCK!”  
“Daphne, don’t say that! Who raised you?!”  
“Well, you didn’t!” Daphne belts accusatory. “Mom!” Her voice echoes through the void. “If you didn’t want me to say any of this shit, you should’ve been there!” Daphne paces around. Her mother tries to follow, but doesn’t know what to say or do. “You left us!”  
“I know I did, but-“  
“No FUCKING buts, ma!” Daphne yells. “Do you have any idea what you put us through?! The stress?! Sadness?! And now you’re here telling me how I’ve grown up to be pretty, well FUCK YOU, mom! Seriously, fuck!” Daphne throws her hands around as she speaks. Her mother stops walking and stands defeated.

“I left to save you so much pain and this is what I get?” Daphne stares at her mother wide-eyed.  
“Ex-CUSE you?!” Daphne takes big strides to her mother and stops right in front of her. “It’s been _years_ since you left! And I still get to hear dad cry in his sleep! He says he’s seeing other women to make me feel better but I know he fucking doesn’t! He still loves you! And the thought that he did something wrong tortures him! You’re selfish and cruel and narcissistic!”  
“I left so you wouldn’t have to see me ill, Daphne!” Daphne takes a step back when her mom starts yelling at her. She continues more quietly now that her daughter stopped yelling. “I didn’t feel well. I went to the doctor to have him check what was up. Cancer, Daphne. In my liver. And it was bad.” Daphne’s jaw is clenched as she stares at her mother in disbelief.  
“You left…” She starts softly. “Cause you had _cancer_?!”  
“I was going to die.” Daphne’s mother pursed her lips. “And I did. Two weeks after the diagnosis.”

Daphne falls to her knees and ends leans back until she sits on her butt. Staring at nothing.  
“We… We could’ve been there for you. We would have known. We would have mourned and moved on!” She looks up at her mother. “But instead you just got in the car and went somewhere else to suffer and die. Alone. And leave us to wonder what the fuck we did to deserve this.” Daphne’s mother nods slowly. Daphne’s lip quivers and she looks down. “I went looking for you that night.” Daphne’s voice shakes. “I was in that storm. I got struck. Because I went looking for you.” Daphne’s surprised she still has tears left to cry, but she’s sobbing again. “I’m a Zephyr now. Because of that. Because of _you._” Her mother tries to place a hand on Daphne’s shoulder, but Daphne swats it away. “_Selfish,_” she seethes, glaring back up.  
“I was scared, Daph.” Her mom opts to sit down next to Daphne, which results in Daphne scooting away from her. “I didn’t know how long I’d be sick for. I left to save you that agony!”  
“You should’ve talked to us. Maybe not to me, fuck, I was eight, but at least to dad!”  
“I didn’t want to bother Derek with my problems.” Daphne shakes her head aggressively.  
“You’re not a bother!” Daphne freezes when she says that and she stares at her mom wide-eyed. Death’s voice still echoes in her head.

_“You’re not here to reconcile with them.”_

“I… I’m sorry, Daphne,” her mother sighs. There are tears running down her cheeks now too. Daphne looks down at her hands and after a moment of silence, she scoots towards her mom. Her arm wraps around her mother’s body and she rests her head on her mom’s shoulder.  
“I’m sorry too,” Daphne sighs. “Must’ve been tough.”  
“It was.” Daphne’s mother takes a breath. “I… I thought it would be easier for you if I left. I didn’t want you or Derek to see me in so much pain. I didn’t want to haunt your dreams like that.”  
“Yet you haunted them anyways.” Daphne bites the inside of her cheek. “I can’t forgive you for what you did.”  
“I know you can’t.” Daphne’s mom nods and takes a breath. “I’m not expecting you to.”  
“Thanks.”

Daphne and her mother sit there for a bit. In the void. After a few minutes, Daphne’s mom breaks the silence.  
“I do still love you. Always have.” Daphne doesn’t reply, mulling over her own words in her head. _You’re not a bother._ “And I didn’t lie. I really do think you are beautiful.”  
“I wonder,” Daphne mutters, only slightly ignoring her mom’s compliment. “What life would have been like if you hadn’t left.”  
“Different.”  
“I wouldn’t be a Zephyr. Dad got the job offer for vet at the New York Zoo at the hospital when I was in coma. We wouldn’t have moved to New York.” Daphne takes a breath. “I wouldn’t have gone to Madame Touha’s ballet school, or gotten the Stark Scholarship.” Daphne stares blankly ahead. “I wouldn’t have been part of Art School. I wouldn’t know Alice or Sarah or Tyrone. I’d still be in Orange County on that farm. I… I wouldn’t have met Peter.” Daphne’s mom smiles slightly.  
“You sounded different when you said Peter,” she chuckles. “Who’s Peter?” Daphne scoffs, but can’t contain a blush.  
“M’boyfriend,” she says quietly and quickly.  
“What’s he like?”  
“He’s a hero.” The corners of Daphne’s mouth curl up. “My hero.”  
“I hope he cherishes you.”  
“Don’t worry, mom.” Daphne looks down. “He does.”

“Speaking of…” Daphne’s mom pulls away and looks Daphne in the eyes. “You should probably head back soon, don’t you?” Daphne looks at her hands and nods.  
“I’d like that.”  
“I don’t know much about what’s going on, but Death told me you needed to learn something from me.” Daphne’s mom frowns. “Did you?” Daphne smiles and nods slightly.  
“I did.” Daphne shifts to sit on her knees and hugs her mom tightly. “I still love you too, mom. I miss you.” She pulls back and her mom cocks her head.  
“Is that what you learned?” Daphne laughs softly and shakes her head.  
“I just wanted to say that before I’d fall again.”  
“Thank you, Daphne. I miss you too.” Daphne’s mom holds Daphne’s hands in her own and her thumbs rub slow circles. “I’m curious, though… What did you learn?” Daphne looks her mom in the eyes, knowing what’s coming once she says it. She smiles and takes a breath.  
“I’m not a bother.”

She falls.

...

Death is already waiting for Daphne when she lands. They smile wide, baring their slightly pointed teeth.  
“You passed the test,” they say proudly. “Quite fast, too. You have been with me for less than a day.”  
“I was in a coma for four days last time… What did we do then?” Daphne looks up at the gender neutral face, hoping to get an answer.  
“Something that hurt you so much I erased it from your mind permanently to prevent it from being shaken and broken forever. The transition is not… painless.” Daphne looks at her feet, suddenly glad she doesn’t remember.  
“Will I forget this too?”  
“No.” Daphne bites the inside of her cheek and thinks for a second.

“The test…” Daphne ponders. “…I had to reconcile with myself, didn’t I?” Death smiles and nods once. Daphne frowns as her mind works hard to figure things out. “Why did you say I have to be pure of heart? I’m not pure of heart.”  
“The Midgardian definition of being pure of heart is different than the actual definition.” Death closes in on Daphne again, but this time, Daphne doesn’t move away of her own accord. “You think you should not have anger. You think you should not have grudges. You think you should not wish me upon anyone.” Daphne scoffs a small laugh at Death’s phrasing. “Being pure of heart means you can reconcile with your own feelings. You know when they are justified. You know when you should back down. It is not about not wanting to hurt anyone. It is about acknowledging your feelings. One who is at war with themselves does not have a pure heart. One might call it inner peace. No one is truly evil. No one is truly good.” Daphne recalls the conversation she had with Loki. When she said the exact same thing about being evil to him. Maybe that was something she and Death discussed when they first met. Maybe that’s why she thinks that way.

“Your heart was clouded with guilt for Dana, Ivan and Amélie. You already knew the feelings you have for Beth, your mother, are justified. Yet you both lived and died with the same fear.” Death smiles and repeats Daphne’s last lesson, like they did all the others. “I’m not a bother.” Daphne doesn’t know what to say. This whole thing has been a roller coaster and she’s finally out of words. Death cocks their head. “And now, you are pure of heart again. Your mind, however…”  
“What about it?”  
“Someone is clouding it.” Daphne looks down, somehow embarrassed. She just proved she’s weak. Death holds Daphne’s head in their hands. “Tell me who.” Daphne’s jaw is locked shut. The answer won’t cross her lips.  
“Can’t.” Death’s laugh echoes into the void.  
“A Charon is stronger than most think.” Death softly applies pressure to Daphne’s head. Something about what Death said confuses her, but she can’t seem to form any words. “Speak. You can do this.” Ravir. The name is right there in her mind. But she was only playing a game with the sorceress, right? She wasn’t actually under Ravir’s power. It was just her mind playing tricks on her… Right? A small voice in her head speaks back. _Wrong._ That one word cleared more up than she could ever imagine.

“Ravir,” Daphne whispers. “She’s been manipulating me.”  
“Good, Daphne. Good.” Death nods. “Now push her out.” Daphne frowns.  
“How? I- I don’t know how.” Daphne blinks fast. Death lets go of her and lowers their head until they look straight into Daphne’s eyes.  
“There is a reason why the sorcerer called Somm claims your kind.” Death seems frustrated. “You have seen what you do to sorcerers with only a touch.” Daphne nods slightly. “That is your power. That is why Charons exist. Balance. Charons kill immortals.”  
“What is a Charon?” Daphne asks. Her mind immediately wanders to her Greek mythology lessons. Just like Zephyrus has roots there, Charon does too. Charon was a being who guided souls to the Underworld.

“That is what you are.” Death hums. “Somm has spread misinformation on Charons for millennia, bending the truth to his will; calling your kind Zephyrs, playing god. His main goal is to ensure you will not kill him and make everyone believe that immortals truly cannot die. The one Charon we ‘know’ from stories is quite harmless. A ferryman. But you, a true Charon, can kill sorcerers. You bring them to me. Figuratively speaking.” Death chuckles.  
“Not all sorcerers are immortals, though.”  
“Correct. But all immortals are sorcerers,” Death says with a grin. “Somm is the greatest example. He has lived since the beginning of the universe. It might seem that he owns Charons, or Zephyrs, for the power they can provide him with. But in reality he owns them so he can live. Forever. If they love or worship him, they will not kill him.”  
“So, you create Charons to kill the people you can’t?” Death smiles wider, nodding again.  
“Sorcerers like Somm evade me skillfully. If those sorcerers were not selfish and hungry for power and eternal life, I would have no need for Charons.”

“Why do magic users and sensitive people get addicted to me?”  
“It is an unfortunate side effect of being a Charon. You carry a part of me with you, always. It was initially used to lure immortals to you, but as Charons and people evolved, so did that side of you.” Death looks off into the distance. “You should be able to control it from now on.”  
“Ravir is a golden sorceress. Her brother is silver.”  
“I know of their curse. One day, they will turn solid, like the ones they thrust their curse upon.” Death smirks playfully. “I already know what you want to ask.” Daphne snorts.  
“Do you?”  
“You can touch them. Charons are immune to curses. Not to magic or spells, however, so please, do not be reckless.” Daphne smiles, thinking back to when Loki spelled her to fall asleep in Tony’s car. Fuck, shit was so much simpler back then. “Now, to return to the issue at hand: your clouded mind.” Daphne looks at her feet.  
“Ravir wants me to kill Somm,” she mumbles. Death moves back and turns away slightly, as if they’re thinking about something.  
“Ravir wants Somm dead out of revenge for stealing her brother. I want Somm dead simply because he has to die. He has lived far too long.”

“So, once again, I’m the pawn. To be used and tossed aside when I did my part?” Daphne groans.  
“On the contrary, Daphne,” Death says with a smile. “I will never force you to do anything. Ravir seems to have ordered you to end his life. That is not the way. You are to find your purpose yourself. I will not be angry, should you decide to live your life as Daphne the dancer instead of Daphne the Charon. Immortals supposedly live forever. There is no rush in killing them. If any third Charon I create decides to follow the path I set out for them, then that’s more than enough.” Daphne’s astonished by Death’s words. Daphne has her own voice. Her own _choice_. Not many magic-users have given her that. “It has just been a frustrating time for me, the past few thousand years Somm has gotten his hands on every Charon I created. He is… A nuisance. I will not beg. However, I will kindly ask you to kill him. But do so of your own accord. If you choose ending his life is not what you want, then I will not hold it against you if you don’t do it.” Daphne nods slowly.  
“Thank you,” she mumbles. “For not binding me to your will, or whatever.”  
“Freedom is one’s greatest treasure.” Death nods.

“Can you help me get rid of Ravir then?” Daphne points at her head and looks at Death with a hopeful look in her eye, but it falters when Death shakes their head.  
“You have the power to do so yourself. Use it.”  
“How?”  
“I am not a Charon. I could not tell you.”  
“But there are no other Charons to teach me!”  
“Then you must teach yourself.” Daphne releases a frustrated groan, making Death chuckle. “You are stronger than you think.” Death takes a breath. “It is time you wake, Daphne.”  
“Wait-!” Daphne holds out her hands to stop Death from moving. “Aren’t… You immortal too?” Death laughs audibly, understanding what Daphne means.  
“I am not alive.”  
“Huh,” Daphne says while cocking one eyebrow. “Lucky you,” she jokes. Death closes their eyes and smiles.  
“I like you,” they say. “Be safe.”

Death pans around Daphne, who shudders when she feels one long finger gently tracing the branches on her back. She frowns when Death keeps going further than she recalls her scar being. Death’s finger keeps going and going and Daphne feels a dizzying spark.  
“If you decide not to be a Charon, the next time we meet…” Death whispers. “…you will truly die.”  
“I hope I won’t meet you for a while, then,” Daphne chuckles with her eyes closed, still confused at how Death’s finger is going even higher up, nearly curling around her shoulder. She can feel Death’s cold breath in her neck and their smile is evident when they speak.  
“I hope so too.”

Death’s finger has now passed Daphne’s shoulder and is making their way down at Daphne’s front side.  
“Beat,” Death whispers in her ear. Daphne doesn’t understand what they mean until she suddenly feels her heart. Once. She didn’t realize it wasn’t beating this entire time. Only until Death ordered it to. “Beat,” Death repeats. There’s another thunk in Daphne’s chest. It shakes her entire body. Death’s finger reaches her collar bone, right next to her heart. “Beat.” Daphne feels lightheaded. Something is wrong… “Breathe.” Death murmurs and Daphne feels the fresh, beachy air fill her lungs “Breathe.” Daphne takes in more. Enjoying the oxygen flowing into her through her nose. “Goodbye, Daphne,” Death says quietly. Before Daphne can reply, Death smiles and says: “Wake.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GET A TWIST- AND YOU GET A TWIST! EVERYBODY GETS A TWIST!
> 
> Also we passed 200k words! AAH!


	105. Independent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daphne wakes and learns her powers are easier to control than she thought they would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHE'S ALIIIIIVE - MUAHAHA

The sun is coming up while the Avengers are in a heated discussion about a schedule to keep watch over Daphne. Loki is still sitting next to her and Peter had joined him on the floor about halfway through the night. Loki had stopped talking about what Daphne was going through when he realized how personal the conversations were. Loki played it cool, saying he could simply not hear it anymore and eventually he just stopped listening altogether. Daphne is still laying on her side to protect her wound. Her hands rest on top of each other in front of her and if no one knew better, she looked like she was napping. The only thing that made it painfully obvious that she wasn’t actually napping, was that she wasn't breathing. Peter doesn’t want to leave her alone. He wonders if she’s scared, wherever she is. He turns his head to look at Tony, arguing with Steve over how many people should stay with Daphne at a time, but then he hears it.

_Ba-dum._

His eyes go wide and his head whips back to look at Daphne again.  
“Loki-“ he whispers. The sorcerer stares intently at Daphne’s face.  
“I heard it too,” he whispers back.  
“Heard what?” Bucky asks from his chair. He hadn’t left the spot ever since he sat down there earlier that night. His penetrating gaze completely focussed on Loki, making sure the god of mischief would not do anything suspicious. Everyone looks at Bucky except for Loki and Peter, who still stare at Daphne’s face.  
“Boss,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. chimes in.  
“Talk to me, F.R.I.,” Tony says quickly.  
“There is a change in Daph’s vitals.” Tony grimaces when F.R.I.D.A.Y. says that. “I registered one heartbeat.”  
“Only one?”  
“Only o-“

_Ba-dum._

“I stand corrected, sir. Two heartbeats.”  
“She’s waking up!” Peter’s face lights up immediately and he pushes in closer, blinking away the tears forming in his eyes. Loki pulls a face when the teen nearly sits in his lap.  
“Already?” Loki mutters confused. “She must’ve done well.”  
“There’s an increase in brain activity,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. states. Derek nearly jumps down the few stairs to get to the couch as fast as he can.  
“Holy-“ Bruce exclaims as he walks towards Daphne. They’re literally watching someone coming back from the dead. Supposedly unscathed.

_Ba-dum._

Daphne’s muscles tense and release slowly and her fingers twitch as do some parts of her face. Suddenly, she takes a breath through her nose. It’s deep and slow, yet it startles everyone. They haven’t seen her breathe for hours. Her chest falls back down gently and there’s a pause, almost long enough for everyone to think she’s not actually waking up. But again, she breathes. Slowly. Deeply. Peter can see her eyes move behind her lids and before he can comment on it, Daphne opens them. Her once grey eyes now have a slight glow over them. A blue hue illuminates her irises and she immediately makes eye contact with Peter. She smiles faintly and stares at him. She blinks a few times. The strange glow subsides until it’s just Daphne again.

“Hey,” Peter says softly. Daphne’s jaw relaxes and her voice cracks as she speaks.  
“Hey.” She shuffles a little and opens her hands. Peter immediately takes her hand in both of his and his thumb rubs gentle circles on her palm, feeling her golden scar. Daphne shifts her attention to Loki. “You always join the party late, don’t you?” She quips. Loki chuckles and moves a bit away from Daphne.  
“Have you not gotten used to that by now?” Daphne smiles. Loki places a hand on her upper arm and nods in her general direction. “Can you sit?” Daphne looks down at Peter’s hands, purses her lips and nods.  
“Let’s try.” Daphne immediately moves to push herself up and Loki has to interfere to stop her from going too fast too soon.  
“Easy, now-“ He gently grabs her shoulders and helps her sit upright. She hasn’t let go of Peter yet and she looks around like she’s still a little out of it. 

Daphne flinches, suddenly.  
“My back hurts,” she whines quietly.  
“Your wound extended when you got struck again,” Bruce says with a short nod. Daphne’s right eye twitches and her free hand immediately goes up to her collar bone where Death touched her last. She’s surprised to find a bandage there, taped snugly to her skin. A realization hits her. Death had followed her new lines. Daphne blinks a few times and glances around and everything seems to halt when she spots her father. Tears immediately well in her eyes and she lets go of Peter to stretch both her arms out to him.  
“Dad?” Her voice is frail. Derek doesn’t hesitate and sits down in front of his daughter.  
“I’m here, Daph,” he mumbles. He holds her hands against his face and Daphne sobs quietly.  
“I talked with mom.”

…

Daphne spilled. A waterfall of words fell from her lips as she explained whom she met and why and what Death was like and how she met Amélie. She couldn’t stop. She couldn’t stop talking even when her words turned into incoherent blabbering.  
“Daphne,” Loki interrupts her by placing a hand on her knee. She finally manages to hold her tongue and she stares at the sorcerer. “You need to rest.” Daphne immediately shakes her head.  
“No, no time for that-“ she mumbles. “I gotta-“ She looks to the windows, but presses her lips on top of each other again. Daphne wants to do what Ravir told her to do. Practice her abilities.  
“What’s wrong?” Bucky asks with a cocked eyebrow. He stares at her like he knows what’s up and Daphne can’t help but scoff a small laugh. He probably knows exactly what’s up. Daphne clenches her jaw and forcibly pushes Ravir’s thoughts in her head aside.  
“No, you know what-“ Daphne sighs. “Let’s go to bed.”

…

“Can’t believe Loki is in one of the guest rooms right now,” Tony groans as he drops himself into a chair. He’s done all-nighters before. He’s gone without sleep for… What was his record again? 63 hours? Hallucinations were a thing at that point. He can skip half a night for Daphne, easy peasy. He’ll just call it early tonight. Most of the others did end up going back to their rooms to catch up on at least a few hours of sleep. Bucky stuck around in the living room, seemingly unable to sleep anyways.  
“Isn’t it weird how different he is with Daphne?” He asks, following the swirling ceiling light from his flat position on the couch.  
“Didn’t he very poetically say he gave Daphne his good side to save her life,” Tony snorts.  
“I mean, Death is the one who brought her back to life, right? Not Loki.” Bucky purses his lips.  
“Yeah, he’s officially lost bragging rights on that.” Bucky scoffs and Tony eyes him from his chair, scotch held on his knee with relaxed fingers. He’s unsure if his alcohol intake counts as day drinking or _very_ late drinking. He opts for the latter. Makes it sound less bad.

Daphne made Bucky a lot more chatty. Reuniting with Steve was the first best thing that happened to the Winter Soldier. But, Tony admits, Daphne might very well be the second best thing. He still doesn’t talk much about his past and what happened to him, but he found comradery – Tony coughs at his unintended Russian pun – with her. He understands what’s going through her mind right now and he wants to protect her from any pain that might cause. As much as Tony still has a grudge with regards to Bucky being the reason his parents are dead, he can’t hold it against the guy. He wasn’t in control of his body or mind at that point. Tony takes an annoyed sip when the same could be applied to Loki’s New York attack, but he’s not yet ready to cross that bridge.

“She fought her.” Bucky’s eyebrows curl up into a frown.  
“Hm?”  
“Ravir,” he says quickly. “Daphne’s first instinct seemed to be to follow her command but you saw it too, right?”  
“What- The five stages of grief passing over Daph’s face with the speed of an orbital space plane?”  
“Yeah. She fought her.” Bucky turns his head to look straight at Tony. “And won.” Tony pulls in his legs and throws them over the side of the chair, biting the inside of his cheek as he ponders.  
“Think Death helped with that?”  
“I…” Bucky pauses, reading the ceiling as if it’s a book. “I think she’s stronger than we think she is.” Tony takes a short breath and holds it, before releasing it with a groan.  
“Can you imagine she’d have to go through all of this crap on her own if Peter decided against frolicking around on a dance floor?” He scoffs. “Or picked a different fucking store to get his clothes at?” Bucky smirks and shakes his head.

“It all really started going to shit when she ran into Loki, right?” Bucky glances at Tony. “And Somm would come for her regardless of whether or not we were involved. She’d just be a missing person case.”  
“A big one, though.” Tony takes another sip from his scotch. “A S.A.S.S. student with a high rank and bright future- liked by many- just disappearing into thin air… That’d reach the news.”  
“But no one would ever find her,” Bucky mumbles. Tony glances Bucky’s way and feels a pit in his stomach. Daphne would truly have disappeared. Taken off-world by Somm to be a mindless slave, feeding him power. Giving him anything he wants. Tony shudders and stares at the goose bumps covering his arms. “I’m glad we found her.” Bucky breaks the silence.  
“Me too, Buck.” The sun no longer touches the horizon and shines freely up in the sky. It should be about eight right now. “I gotta say…” Tony stares at the seagulls crowding at the exact location Daphne got struck last night. “I’m curious to know if Death told her more about being a Zephyr.”

…

“I’m not a Zephyr.” It’s just past noon and nobody in the living area was ready for the bomb Daphne just dropped.  
“What?” Natasha frowns and leans forward in her chair to put her glass of water on the coffee table.  
“Zephyrs are a fairy tale.” Daphne scratches the back of her head, unsure how to explain it properly. She sniffs once and tries to ignore the frustrating itch on her back. “Somm has been manipulating shit for thousands of years.”  
“What are you then?” Tony cocks an eyebrow and crosses his arms. Daphne clears her throat.  
“Anyone ever heard about… Charon?” Steve perks up.  
“The ferryman?” There’s a glimmer in Daphne’s eyes and she nods.  
“Care to elaborate?” Tony adds. Steve turns his head to Tony and sighs.  
“Greek mythology stuff,” he says with a nod. “Charon is the ferryman who guides the souls of the dead over the Styx to the Underworld.”  
“Wait-“ Sam sits up in the bar stool. “You mean the ‘put a coin in the mouth of your deceased loved one so they can pay the ferryman’ guy?” Both Steve and Daphne nod.  
“That guy,” Steve confirms. Bruce rubs his chin.  
“What’s he got to do with you?”  
“I am… eh… I am _a_ Charon.”

Loki, who has been rather quiet up until now, moves to sit up straight.  
“I know of nearly all creatures and beings and I have never heard of this… Charon- in any other context than the ferryman you speak of.”  
“That’s Somm’s doing.”  
“Why would he erase the true meaning then?” Daphne sucks at her teeth and shrugs nonchalantly.  
“I’m the only one who can kill him.” The room stares at her in an awkward silence. It’s like she just revealed who killed J.F. Kennedy. She halts her thoughts and glances at Bucky. _Oh, right._  
“Can’t the Hulk just rip his head off?” Tony quips, trying to lighten the mood. Daphne shakes her head.  
“He’s – what you’d call – immortal.”  
“Well, if you can kill him then he obviously isn’t immortal,” Natasha scoffs.

“To give you the short version:” Daphne pauses to collect her thoughts. “Some sorcerers manage to gain eternal life. That creates an imbalance, because, well, fuck, everyone has to die at some point. Nothing and no one should be immortal.” She glances at Loki, who nods understanding. “Death can’t reach the sorcerers who never die. So, Death created Charons who, only if they want to help Death, are capable of killing the immortal sorcerers.”  
“And if someone’s not a sorcerer but immortal?”  
“As far as I’ve been told, not every sorcerer is immortal, but all immortals are sorcerers. Or magic users of some kind.” Daphne glances at Peter. “Charons are sorcerer killers. I… I bring them to Death, I guess.”  
“Wai-wai-wai-wait.” Sam leans forward, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “So, you’re like... The Grim Reaper for sorcerers?” Daphne snorts.  
“Essentially, yeah.”  
“And the overstimulation…” Tony thinks out loud.  
“…Is how I kill them.” Daphne frowns. “At least, I think so. Death didn’t really tell me how it works, but that’s my guess.”

“Then why would Somm want you right at his side?” Peter finally speaks. The corner of Daphne’s mouth curls down for a second.  
“He wants no one to know that there is something or someone out there who can kill him. And what better way to do that than to erase all knowledge on Charons, replace it with the Zephyr story and make sure that you can keep a constant eye on the one and only being in the universe that could kill you?”  
“And the channelling stuff?” Steve asks with a frown.  
“I mean we’ve all seen it, so that’s probably just a side effect from being a Charon. I can still give power, Death told me that. I just… Won’t give enough to kill.”  
“So, Somm wants to make you worship him to make sure you won’t kill him,” Bruce theorizes with a frown. “And he gets to be all-powerful by making you give him the magic you’re supposed to use to end him with.”  
“Yep.” Daphne pops the p. “He’s been doing that to Charons for thousands of years.”  
“Kind of a slap in the face of Death, if you ask me,” Tony quips. Daphne nods.  
“Oh, yeah. But Death was… Really civil about it, somehow. If I don’t want to kill Somm, I don’t have to, basically. They’ll just make another Charon a few hundred years down the line and ask them to do it. And if they don’t, the cycle continues. The immortals don’t die anyways, so there’s no need to hurry.”

“So much has been cleared up, yet so many new questions arose,” Loki sighs.  
“I have more answers than we just talked about. Try me.”  
“The addiction?” Peter immediately asks.  
“Yeah- I asked about that. It’s a-uh… Side effect of being a Charon. To put it simply, it used to be some kind of siren thing.”  
“Lure sorcerers to their death?” Daphne nods at Pepper’s bright remark.  
“Pretty much, yeah.” Daphne looks at her hands. “But as with everything: shit evolves. Changes. This side of me just evolved in a negative way, I guess.” Peter stares at Daphne and can’t believe his ears. He’s already thought this months ago.

_ "Daph, it's late, I gotta go home." He pulls softly, trying to get his hand back._  
_"No," she pushes out with a slight frown. "Stay..." Peter freezes. She turns on her back to look at him with half open, pleading eyes. "With me..." His heart beats fast in his chest. She's not going to let go of him._  
_"I don't have pajamas with me," he stutters. "Or my tooth brush." What a horrible excuse. She tugs at his hand._  
_"Come..." She turns her back on him again. It still doesn't really look like a comfortable position with her arm stretched out like this. He'd only have to pull once and he'd probably dislocate it. "Sleep..." He wants to. He really does. But what if her father comes home earlier than expected? He'd throw Peter out the window._  
_"I-"_  
_"Please." It's only a whisper. Soft and sweet. Her thumb rubs slow circles on his hand and he melts under her touch. He realizes he's delaying the inevitable. His mind wanders for a brief moment, comparing himself to a sailor finally giving in to the siren, who was beckoning- no- luring him towards her with her sweet, honey-coated voice. There are no harsh rocks for him to crash on, though. There's a bed. And soft pillows. And a thick duvet to keep them warm._

“There’s…” Daphne takes a breath. “There’s still some stuff I gotta deal with in my head, but in order to, eh, fix that-“ she turns to Loki. “I gotta learn how to use whatever I’ve got inside me.”  
“Death did not teach you how to use your magic?”  
“Death conveniently said they’re not a Charon and therefore can’t tell me how the fuck my powers work.” She bites the inside of her cheek. “There’s a catch, though.”  
“A catch?” Bucky cocks an eyebrow and Daphne nods.  
“Ravir told me how it works.” Everyone’s mood shifts and Daphne notices.  
“Oh, did she, now?” Tony tilts his head. Daphne scoffs, understanding that they must already be aware of it.  
“Well, she’s in my head.” No one seems surprised. “Thank you for letting me know you knew this before Death helped me fix that issue,” she adds sarcastically. She stands up and groans as she makes her way to the windows to look over the ocean.  
“She’s not controlling you anymore?” Peter asks hopefully. Daphne shakes her head.  
“Death just helped me realize whatever I was thinking wasn’t my own thoughts. Actually getting rid of her commands is a whole different issue I’m going to have to solve myself.”

“So… You know how your powers work, but you don’t?” Bruce crosses his arms.  
“I know she told me. It’s somewhere in my head. I know she also told me how to kill Somm. Same issue. I know I know it, I just don’t _know_ it.” Daphne turns around to face the group with a cheeky look on her face. “Ya know?”  
“She had plenty of time to put an endless number of triggers in your mind,” Loki sighs. “If I were to look for them, it would take ages.”  
“And we don’t have ages, now, do we?” Daphne adds. Peter frowns. It’s quiet for a second and Daphne’s shoulders droop. She looks at Loki with a hopeful expression. “You know magic, Loki.”  
“I take pride in that,” Loki jokes, making Tony scoff annoyed. Daphne ignores the billionaire’s attitude.  
“Could you… Maybe help me?”

…

Small waves crash gently against Daphne’s ankles. She has her eyes closed and she’s breathing in the salty ocean air. Loki stands beside her. Instead of his usual leather attire, he was only wearing his under clothes. A cotton undershirt with a deep V-neck and dark brown pants. Both his sleeves and pant legs are rolled up. It’s… Uncharacteristic. Or, Daphne thinks, maybe it’s just how he truly is. His dark, leather, royal clothes; simply a mask to hide how soft he really is. Daphne’s wearing her halter top bathing suit. It has a very low back, completely exposing the healing wound after she ripped off the bandages. They were restricting her and she hated it. When she bought it, she wondered if the bathing suit was too bare, as even her sides aren’t covered. But it proved to fit her newly grown scar perfectly, showing every little line the lightning strike had created. Only the ones in her neck were covered slightly by the bow keeping the halter together. She did opt to wear a thin scarf around her waist. She didn’t want to feel too exposed and the light blue scarf did the trick.

Loki gently lets go of her hands and carefully takes a few steps back.  
“Keep breathing slowly. Feel the energy around you,” he says quietly. “Imagine you can touch it.”  
“I’m not feeling anything,” Daphne mumbles.  
“Give it time.” She can hear him standing opposite her, slightly to the side. “You carry incredible magic inside you. Once you can sense it, you can learn how to control it.” Daphne shuffles in place, not really sure what to do with her arms, hanging loosely at her side. “Breathe, Daphne. And focus.”

Daphne relaxes her body, putting her attention to all her senses. How the summer breeze caresses her skin, creating goose bumps. How the ocean salt tickles her nose. The brisk water hugging her ankles and the soft, squishy sand between her toes. The sound of waves crashing on the beach engulfs her. Seagulls yelp in the distance. The warm sun seems to illuminate her. A sudden small spark inside her midriff catches her off guard and she opens her eyes abruptly, losing all focus. She immediately looks at Loki, who pulls a face.  
“Why did you stop?” He asks. “Something was happening.”  
“I- I don’t know. Did it?” Loki stops himself from rolling his eyes with a smirk and nods at Daphne’s arms. She looks at them and only now realizes she had lifted them slightly, palms facing upwards. When did that happen? Loki steps towards her and places his hands on her shoulders as she relaxes her arms again. He looks her straight in the eyes.  
“Feel it,” he urges with a whisper. “Let it flow. Let it _live_.”

Daphne nods and is suddenly very aware of all the eyes that are on her. The Avengers are staring at her from the balcony of Mr. Stark’s summer house. She doesn’t blame them for being interested in what she’s doing, but it makes her back itch. Or… That might just be her healing wound. Daphne closes her eyes and starts over. Loki steps away from her like he did last time and remains quiet. Patient. It takes her a minute, but her surroundings slowly swallow Daphne in the same way as they did earlier. She feels comfortable. Warm. Pleasant. A small smile creeps on her face and she feels the spark again. Rather than shaking her out of it, she takes the spark in her mind’s eye and holds it with the warmth she’s feeling. She takes a deep breath through her nose and notices the spark becoming two sparks. And then four. And… She soon loses count as they keep multiplying. They move around her, inside her. She can feel them caress her arms as they pass her and they rise. Higher and higher and higher until Daphne has to reach all the way up…

Everyone on the balcony is almost entranced by the scene unfolding in front of them. Daphne’s scar is slowly illuminating that same blue hue Daphne’s eyes held when she first woke again. The light grows and grows, following the lines of her healing wound as Daphne’s arms lift higher up. Natasha studies Daphne’s movement like a tiger stalking its prey.  
“Those arms…” she mumbles. Peter doesn’t take his eyes off Daphne, understanding what she means.  
“The Swan,” he replies quietly. Tony cocks a confused eyebrow but when he looks closer, he sees it too. Her arms go up the way a ballerina’s arms would in Swan Lake. Stretched back and overextended. Like wings. It’s a strange, yet captivating sight to behold. The muscles in Daphne’s back are all engaged, yet it seems like it takes no effort. When her arms finally reach the top, her scar is almost fully illuminated. She twists her hands and her arms bend into a beautiful fifth position. There is a sudden bright blue spark between her hands. They can hear Daphne gasp and her arms fall to her side again as she steps back. Her back still glowing blue. She seems to be gasping for air and when she turns around to face Loki, they all see it. Her eyes glow too.

Loki instinctively takes a step back. They don’t know to what extent she can control her powers and he’d prefer it if he didn’t die if she touches him now. Daphne looks around, feeling absolutely overwhelmed. There’s no other way to describe what she’s feeling than “energy.” Everywhere. Around her, inside her. She can see it, hear it, feel it-  
“Daphne?” She turns to look at Loki who cocks an eyebrow at her. He’s standing with his legs wide and arms up in a defensive manner. “Are you with me?” Daphne looks at him with wide eyes and nods slowly.  
“I think so-“ she mumbles. Her voice sounds weird. When she speaks again, she realizes she sounds like Death did. “It’s- a bit much.” Loki nods understanding and glances at the Avengers. An idea forms in his mind. He already knows they won’t like it, but the boy wouldn’t think twice. He knows.  
“I am going to get Peter.”  
“Why?” She still thinks her voice sounds weird. It’s… Ethereal? Dreamy? It doesn’t sound like her.  
“He has the regulator. You can practice giving. The machine should ensure his safety.”  
“Last time he touched me when Doctor Strange took from me, the regulator broke,” Daphne says with a frown.  
“Then you are going to have to be careful.” Loki walks out of the water, leaving Daphne by herself. “Try to remain in this state while I fetch him.” Daphne scoffs.  
“It’s harder than it looks,” she groans.  
“Hold on.”

…

Peter stands opposite Daphne. She can tell he’s nervous and he’s staring at her. Loki remained with the Avengers to stop them from interfering.  
“You’re- eh… Glowing,” Peter says quietly. Daphne’s eyebrows raise and she looks at her arms, not seeing the glow she thinks Peter’s suggesting. “I- I mean your scar. And your eyes.”  
“Oh,” she responds. Peter takes a startled step back at the sound of her voice. Daphne presses her lips on top of each other.  
“Your-“  
“Yeah, it sounds weird to me too,” she mumbles. The corners of Peter’s mouth curl up.  
“It sounds pretty.” He swallows and looks away embarrassed. “You’re pretty.” Daphne can’t help but chuckle.  
“Thank you.” She cocks her head and smirks slightly. “You’re pretty too.” Peter blushes a bright red, thinking back to their first time when she said that as well.  
“So.” Peter clears his throat. “Regulator.” He looks at his wrist and then at Daphne. She nods.  
“Let’s take it slow,” she says quietly. Peter raises his hand and holds his palm out to her.

“Don’t kill me,” Peter jokes.  
“I’d never,” she whispers. “I’m just… A little nervous,” she admits. Daphne stares intently at his hand and raises her own. Daphne closes in on him and gently caresses his fingers. He responds to her touch, but it’s not anything dramatic or painful. Her fingers creep further along his arm and up his biceps. She can see the goose bumps on his skin. His eyes are still trained on her, not looking away from her or watching where she touches. His eyes focus on hers. Study hers. When she reaches his jaw, she takes her chances and slowly cups his face, adding her other hand. Peter finally closes his eyes and seems completely relaxed under her touch.  
“How much are you giving me?” He mutters.  
“Not much. Just… A little bit. It’s easier to control than I thought it would be.” She looks at his face and he smiles dreamily, eyes still closed.  
“Feels really nice.” It’s barely a whisper. He raises his hands to hold hers against his face and he steps closer. “Can you give me more?” There’s a short pause and he takes a breath. “Please?” Daphne realizes what’s up and lets out a small laugh.  
“Maybe some other time.” There’s a seductive hint in her voice and Peter opens his eyes quickly, suddenly aware of how he’s losing his composure. 

Daphne lets go of Peter, but he doesn’t let go of her. She frowns as his hands hold on to her wrist.  
“Something wrong?” She asks.  
“I want to take it off,” he replies quietly.  
“Wha- the regulator?” Her eyes gleam a little brighter for a second. Peter nods. Before she can protest, the piece of equipment is off. They can hear the panic from everyone at the beach house, but Peter ignores them.  
“I trust you,” he mumbles. “You never hurt me.” He still holds on to one of her wrists. The fingers of his other hand are curled around the regulator. Daphne bites the inside of her cheek and brings her hand back up to cup his face. Daphne can barely believe how easily she controls this. It doesn’t take her any effort at all. She figures giving a lot – or... Enough to kill a person – requires more of her energy than to just give nothing at all. They smile when they both realize they are no longer dependent on Stark’s tech to be able to touch each other. Her eyes lose their glow and so does her scar. When she speaks again, her voice is back to normal. She smiles.  
“I got you.”

…

The last few days of their vacation were exactly what they all needed from it: rest. Yes, there was always the lurking fear of Somm showing up, and Daphne second guessed most of her wants, unsure if they were Ravir’s doing, but she feels like she has an advantage now. She _knows._ Loki asked if Daphne still remembers the self defence techniques he taught her over the past few months, but after he ensured her skills are adequate enough, he left to find Ravir and... Have a word with her. 

Daphne, Derek and the Avengers spent their time being lazy on the beach and upon Daphne’s request she and Peter practiced parts of their pas de deux at the shore. All the Avengers cooked and spent time together. Played ball games on the beach and drinking games when the sun had gone down. Tony had cheekily given Peter and Daphne two Capri Suns, ordering them to use that for the games instead of actual alcohol. Daphne and Peter cherished every second of their time together at the summer house. They spent hours in bed, late at night, just… Talking. About everything. They would cuddle up and she’d leave kisses on his neck and collar bone, but out of fear for any of the enhanced humans in the building – and also F.R.I.D.A.Y. – hearing them, they never went further than that.

When the last day finally arrived, Daphne packed her bag reluctantly. She was excited to go back to rehearsals, feeling refreshed and energetic. But there was the issue of her scar. It’s a _lot_ bigger than it used to be and while wardrobe can easily hide it by adding a mesh to the costume, there’s a big chance she’s going to have to explain exactly how her Lichtenberg scar had grown twice as big in the span of a week. She was grateful that school was already over. This meant she at least wouldn’t have to explain it to her classmates until later that year. If she would still be on earth at that point. She always shook that last thought out of her head. Of course, she’s still going to be on earth. She’s not planning on leaving. And Somm can suck it.

Daphne decides to really start worrying about Somm once the Swan Lake performance is done. She refuses to believe he’s going to show up before that and she ignores the little voice in the back of her head, telling her that might not be a good idea…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀
> 
> IT's THE FINAL COUNTDOWN *kazoooo*


	106. White Swan - Black Swan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things go _way_ South.

Daphne’s rarely nervous about a performance, but this was a deal breaker. Two Swan Lake performances were done. The premiere and the second performance went really well. Tonight is the last. If, for any reason, she decides not to stop dancing after this, this might very well be her ticket to fame, so to speak. Countless people from the ballet industry will be in the audience tonight and if she does this right, Madame Touha said she’s certain Daphne will receive offers to join companies. Next to that the Avengers will be there. Loki was there for the premiere and Derek and May were in the audience for the second performance. Loki had quietly mentioned Ravir has disappeared. She’s not in her palace. He guesses she knows he’s coming and fled. There is nothing they can do.

Today, the stakes are the highest. Daphne’s warming up backstage, trying to turn her nerves into excitement. Peter walks into the dressing room, having just returned from hair and make-up. Daphne chuckles.  
“Good evening, Prince Siegfried,” she says with a posh, Elizabethan English accent and a grin. Peter bows with his hand on his chest.  
“A good evening to you, Queen of Swans.” He immediately breaks character and walks towards Daphne with a bright smile. He cups her jaw in his hand and notices the dove pin, carefully hidden in her bun. Her face make-up accentuates her cheekbones and her lips are a muted shade of red. He presses a gentle peck on her nose. Careful not to ruin the MUAs job. “You’re so beautiful, Dove.”  
“Thought I was the Queen of Swans,” Daphne quips with a smirk.  
“White bird,” Peter laughs softly.

Daphne’s smile falters as she looks down at her sparkling, bright white tutu.  
“Don’t like white costumes as much as I used to…” she mumbles. Peter nods understanding and raises her head with his pointer finger, making her look him in the eyes.  
“Whatever happens, know that I will always be there for you.”  
“I do. I know,” she replies quietly. Peter can’t help but press a soft kiss on her lips. When they part, he presses his forehead against hers and whispers into her mouth.  
“I love you so much. We’re going to ace tonight and tomorrow we’re gonna think about kicking Somm’s butt, okay?” Daphne nods slightly.  
“Love you too,” she mumbles. “Wanna kiss you again.” Peter replies by pressing his lips against hers again. His arms slowly wrap around her and her tutu gets squished between them. Daphne sighs softly and breaks the kiss. 

When she pulls back to look at Peter, she snorts.  
“You probably have to go back to hair and make-up again,” she laughs.  
“Wha-?” Peter turns his head to look in the mirror. His lips are as red as Daphne’s now and he snorts. “Can’t go on stage looking like a clown!”  
“You are one, though, Parker,” Daphne muffles her laughs with her hand and grabs her lipstick from the table to fix her own lips.  
“Rude!” He exclaims, poking Daphne in her side, causing her to nearly wipe a mark of red lipstick all over her cheek. She only barely pulled back in time and puts down the tube.  
“Go!” She laughs as she waves him out. Peter sucks at his teeth and wraps his arm around Daphne’s waste again to pull her snugly against him.

“One more kiss?” He asks with his big, brown, puppy eyes. “Pretty please?” Daphne smiles.  
“Only because you asked so nicely, my prince.” Their lips collide one more time and they honestly wish they could stay like that forever. But they can’t. Eventually, Peter lets go and wipes his face with some kitchen paper before giving Daphne a cheeky look and heading out the door. Before completely walking out of sight, Daphne shouts: “And don’t you dare drop me during the performance tonight, Pete! I gotta look my best!” Peter pushes his head back in and smirks.  
“I would never drop you, dove-“ and Daphne smiles, knowing what he’s going to say next. “I got you.”

…

Daphne pants loudly as she rushes to her changing room backstage. It’s time for her to do a quick change into her Black Swan outfit. Peter is still dancing and should stick near the stage for the majority of the performance. Daphne halts when she enters her dressing room and realizes the stage hands who are supposed to help her get changed are nowhere to be found. The Black Swan tutu is also missing. Panic rises in Daphne’s chest. Is someone trying to sabotage this performance? Who would do something like-  
“Daphne!” Peter crashes into the dressing room, panting.  
“Peter, are you okay?” She rushes towards him.  
“We need to go-“ he speaks quickly. “Somm-“ He points to the stage. Daphne’s eyes go wide and her shoulders droop. He’s already here. Daphne doesn’t think twice and turns haphazardly to grab her sneakers and phone. “Fuck, I need my web-shooters, they’re in my bag- may I come in?”  
“Yeah, Pete, just be qui-“ Daphne pauses, realizing Peter swore. And he never swears. Suddenly, she remembers Loki’s words from their conversation on the rooftop back in December.

_“From now on, whenever someone asks you ‘May I come in?’ you don’t answer them or you refuse. Understood?”_

She stands frozen with her sneakers in her hands. Her head suddenly feels overrun by fog and she sucks in a deep breath. She tries to push it out with everything she has, but she can’t fight it. It’s too much. Her eyes roll back in their sockets and her sneakers and phone drop to the floor.  
“Thank you,” Peter speaks, but… It’s not him. It’s not actually Peter. “For letting me in.”

…

Peter smiles when Daphne arrives on stage in her black tutu. He never openly admitted that dancing the Odile pas de deux was his favorite part. The dynamic between them was so much different. So much more playful. His hands find her hips and she smiles at him. Peter’s heart flutters as they dance together. This is the part of the story that intrigued Peter the most. Rothbart, the evil sorcerer, cast a spell on Odile to appear as if she is Odette. Odile keeps Prince Siegfried occupied. She distracts him from what is truly happening in the background. Odile toys with him on stage, ensuring that instead of proclaiming his love to the real Odette who is not there with him, he asks Odile to marry him. Too blinded by the spell, he dances with the wrong girl.

…

Natasha bends forward in her seat, leaning over the balcony slightly. So far, she’s enjoying the performance greatly, but when Odile starts her trademarked 32 fouettés, Natasha frowns. Something’s wrong. The turns are absolutely perfect. No slight mistakes. No tiny wobbles. No accidental travelling in any direction. Natasha has seen Daphne do these fouettés at the summer house. And it’s safe to say daphne’s not a flawless turner. She can leap yes, but turning requires a lot more effort. Whoever is on stage; they can turn. Very well. Natasha cocks her head and stands up, clenching her fists.  
“Nat, what’s wrong?” Tony looks up at the super spy with raised eyebrows.  
“That’s not Daphne.”

…

The Avengers follow Natasha backstage. It’s uncharacteristically quiet for a backstage area. When they reach the dressing room, their jaws clench. Daphne’s phone is on the ground. The screen is shattered. Her sneakers lie about randomly on the floor. They know Daphne’s neat. This is a red flag. Tony taps his glasses, activating some new tech he’s been working on.  
“E.D.I.T.H.” He sniffs once and crosses his arms. “Give me the security footage of the hallway here.” It takes less than a second for the feed to pop up in front of him. “Rewind to fifteen minutes ago.” He orders. “Play at 8 times speed.” Everyone waits patiently for Tony to inform them of any news. The billionaire cocks an eyebrow. “Stop.” He purses his lips. “Rewind. Hold iiit.” He stretches his back and takes a breath. “And play, normal speed.”

A man saunters through the hallways. Large coat. Brown tousled hair and a slight beard. His jawline is sharp and Tony catches his dark eyes. He cheekily smirks straight into the camera. In the background, Daphne rushes past him towards her dressing room in her pointe shoes. Most likely to get changed for her Black Swan part. The man turns, rolls his shoulders and Tony barely blinks before the stranger has changed appearance. Tony sucks in a breath. The man looks like Peter. He ruffles his hair and jogs towards the entrance of Daphne’s dressing room. He leans in nonchalantly and Tony curses the cheap security system that didn’t have any audio feeds. The man’s fingers strum the wall and he points towards the stage. He turns his face slightly and E.D.I.T.H.’s lip reading software catches what he says. Tony’s eye twitches.

_“May I come in?”_

‘Peter’ relaxes completely and his expression turns into a wicked grin. He glances back at the camera one more time, like he knows Tony’s watching, and he disappears into the dressing room. Tony’s about to order E.D.I.T.H. to fast forward again when the Peter walks out again, his hand curled around Daphne’s wrist. She looks dazed. Out of it. Her tutu bounces with every step she takes and her pointe shoe-wearing feet slightly drag over the floor. She follows him, like a dog on a leash. ‘Peter’ stops right in front of the camera and pulls Daphne forward, almost to show her off, like a damned prize. Goose bumps cover Tony’s skin when ‘Peter’ caresses Daphne’s arm all the way up to her jaw. He cups it and makes her look at him. Her eyes are glazed over. Whatever conscious she has, it’s not present.

_”Mine,”_ he says.  
_”Yours,”_ she replies. Her eyelids are close to shutting, like she’s lazily staring at him. His hand moves further from her jaw up into her tightly pulled back hair. He pushes his fingers into her bun and gently pulls out the golden dove pin Peter got her. The only thing that Daphne has on her that can track her. ‘Peter’ knew about it. Tony grits his teeth and growls. _Somm_ knew about it. ‘Peter’ shows it off at the camera and snaps it in two. ‘Peter’ grows taller suddenly, and one blink later, the man is back. Somm. Daphne seems startled, her eyes, even though they’re staring into infinity, twitch. _She’s fighting him,_ Tony thinks. His shoulders droop. This man is as old as the universe. One can only guess how many years this guy has on his name. There’s no way a 17-year-old could outsmart him. Or overpower him. It doesn’t matter what Death gave her. Somm is what some people would consider a literal god. He doesn’t look like it though. He looks like a regular guy. A regular guy Tony would love to punch in the face.

Somm grabs Daphne’s temples in his hands and presses a long, flat kiss on her forehead.  
_”Time to go, my Zephyr. How about we wreak some havoc around here?”_ He walks her out of the hallway in the same way he led her out of her dressing room and not even three seconds after they’re out of sight, Tony can see himself and the other Avengers make their way to the dressing room. Tony’s ready to throw his glasses through the room. Had they been a few seconds earlier, they would’ve spotted Somm and Daphne leaving. They could’ve stopped them. Tony’s jaw clenches and he disables E.D.I.T.H. The Avengers stare at him expectantly, but without saying a word, he turns and runs to the stage. He shouts.  
“Strange!”

…

Peter’s smile falters when he spots a majority of the Avengers running onto the stage from the corner of his eye. The orchestra dies down and the entire production halts. Muffled voices raise in the audience and Peter frowns at his teammates’ aggressive body language. Instinctively, he moves to stand in front of Daphne, to protect her. The discussions from the bystanders grow louder when they realize Doctor Strange is with them.  
“Peter,” Tony brings up his hands to show he means no harm. “Daphne was just taken away by Somm.” Peter frowns and Daphne puts her hands on his shoulders, hiding herself. “Whoever is standing behind you is a distraction.” Peter turns with his eyes wide.  
“I don’t know what they’re talking about,” Daphne mumbles. “Pete, something’s up. What if Somm messed with them?” Peter glances back at the group.  
“Son,” Steve steps forward. “That man is buying time by making us argue over this. The longer we stand here, the further he can take Daphne.” He points accusingly at Daphne, who makes herself small. “She’s an impostor.”

Peter’s heart beats fast in his chest. Who does he believe? His teammates, who have never let him down once, or the one he loves the most in the entire universe? He stares at Daphne and his brows curl up into a frown.  
“Tell me where your scar ends,” he says quietly.  
“What?” Daphne takes a small step away from Peter. She moves to lift the mesh that hides her scar, but Peter grabs her wrist.  
“Tell me. Without looking.”  
“Peter-“ she protest. “Don’t be weird-“  
“Tell me.” He orders. His voice is dark. There’s panic behind Daphne’s eyes and Peter swallows. He abruptly pulls her closer to him when she doesn’t move or speak and presses his pointer finger on her collar bone. Where Daphne’s scar is supposed to end. “Who are you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I-I’m Daphne!” Tears well in her eyes and Peter honestly has no idea what to do. His head whips around when he feels a hand on his shoulder. Doctor Strange.  
“I can’t draw from this girl,” he says quietly. “And she smells spelled.” The girl starts hyperventilating and Stephen takes over from Peter. He says some words to her in a language no one understands and when he wipes his orange glowing hand in front of her face, she looks different.  
“Avery?!” Someone on stage shouts. Avery blinks a few times in distress.  
“Where am I?!” She yelps as she stumbles away from Stephen, blinded by the stage lights. “Wha-“ she looks down at her Black Swan outfit. “Why am I wearing this?!”  
“Calm down, Avery.” Strange places his hands on her shoulders and she stares at him wide-eyed. Tony butts in with a sarcastic tone.  
“An evil sorcerer made you fulfill your role as stand-in. Do you have any idea where we can find him?”

Before Avery can speak again, there’s a thunder strike so loud, it short circuits the entire theater. They’re all left standing in the dark. It takes a short second before all the bystanders start screaming. Strange creates light with his magic and he pulls a face when he notices Bruce, writhing on the stage, skin turning green…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the beginning of the End!


	107. Somm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A summary of the following few days. Ravir visits the mechanic. Peter finally meets Somm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mention of blood and wounds!

Chaos. That’s the word one would use to describe the time after Daphne’s disappearance. No one knows why, but apparently Somm found great pleasure in destroying lives. And he was using Daphne to do it. It’s been nearly two days and most of Manhattan has been evacuated. Some buildings have crashed. Others are on fire. Cars have been abandoned and roads have been torn up. Part of it was due to the Hulk rampaging in a panic after the massive thunder strike hit. When they were able to calm him down, they took Banner out of New York for the safety of not just others, but himself too. It’s been storming ever since. Electricity was down everywhere. The only building that still had energy was Avengers Tower, luckily running on the biggest arc reactors in the world. But it was abandoned as well. Save for the Avengers, who were trying to figure out how to solve this… Issue.

Loki had joined the group shortly after they started evacuating the city and he seemed infuriated by the fact that he couldn’t sense Daphne. He couldn’t find her. It made him restless. S.H.I.E.L.D. kept close watch on the demi-god, but Tony hated to admit that he was glad Loki was there with them. Loki’s sleek build and generally mischievous demeanour very subtly hid how strong he actually is. And smart. Tony was incredibly surprised by his wisdom. Not that he didn’t expect it, Loki’s over a thousand years old. One has to pick up on some street smarts along the way. But still…

Near the end of day two, Loki decided to call for Thor. He controls thunder. Maybe he could figure out a way to stop the storms. Unfortunately, even Mjölnir had trouble calming down the harsh winds and heavy rain, to the point where Thor had to stop to prevent exhaustion. His powers could be used a lot more efficiently than that. In a very unfortunate series of events, Somm found out the biggest super-powered crooks were in the Raft, still floating near Manhattan. It didn’t take long for him to set them all free. Catching them again felt like a wild goose chase. And David was nowhere to be found…

Somm liked to show up occasionally. He’d show his face, let loose another fire beast or a batch of villains for the Avengers to tidy up, and with a grin, he’d disappear. Eventually, the Avengers realized Somm kept their Tower in one piece for the sole purpose of continuing this cat and mouse game. He seemed to revel in it.  
_“That man has lived since the beginning of time. He has seen cities, countries, empires, galaxies rise and fall. He cares for Midgard as he does anything else,” Loki had said._  
_“You’re saying he’s bored and is practically playing the Sims with us?” Tony quipped._  
_“If with the Sims you mean killing people for the fun of it, then yes.”_  
_“Well, isn’t that neat.”_

Day three went by the way day two did. It was rough. Everyone was exhausted. Everyone was hurt. There’s only so much healing the two sorcerers could do. Thankfully, no one has gotten any severe wounds, but they were definitely considering calling Bruce back into New York. They needed the extra manpower more than anything. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been keeping close watch, monitoring every area and helping Tony map all the bad things happening.

They ultimately decided it would not be good to send in military troops of any kind. They would all be washed away by floods or scorched to ashes by the flames. Their deaths would be in vain and it would only feed Somm’s bloodlust. As long as they could keep the fight in New York, it would be enough to keep the rest of the world, which is watching their every more, safe. They barely know the extent of Somm’s capabilities, now that he has Daphne to feed him power constantly, but based on the fact that Strange could split a mountain in two from just a brief touch, they’re fairly certain Somm could make the earth explode. A worst case scenario no one would like to think of.

They called out for more super powered reinforcements, simply to try and contain the issue. Maybe someone else can find Daphne. The new people started arriving about halfway through the day. The king of Wakanda, T’Challa, had flown around the world to gather as many people as he could. Wanda and Vision joined in, as did that one fellow who went by… Ant Man, was it? Tony couldn’t keep track anymore. He was sceptical of inviting more sorcerers for Daphne’s sake, but they were running out of ideas. Something had to happen. They had to find Daphne and snap her out of whatever Somm is keeping her under. The last thing Tony wanted was for Daphne to be found by any governmental agent. Fury had carefully informed Tony that governmental agencies were given the order to kill the energy source once found. They don’t know it’s a young teen with no control over what’s happening to her. They don’t know it’s Daphne. The only one who is able to _kill_ Somm.

…

Tony’s laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He’s exhausted, but though his body yearns for it, his mind won’t allow him any sleep. Every muscle aches from exertion. He’s honestly not sure how long he can keep going like this.  
_”Hello, there.”_ Tony bolts upright, wide-eyed, to face someone he could only describe as the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. He quickly makes the mental note never to tell Pepper that he thought that. His adrenaline spikes. She’s gold. Solid. His jaw tightens as he locks eyes with her.  
“You must be Ravir,” he says through gritted teeth. The lady smiles and cocks her head. Golden dust falls down her dreadlocks onto the floor. “Could you stop that, my cleaners are evacuated and I don’t have time to mop that shit up.” He vaguely gestures at the dust and raises one eyebrow. He places his hands on the bed so he can lift himself off, but Ravir approaches him swiftly. He knows the rule. He can’t do anything that makes him touch her. Not even move when she touches him. He’d die. Instantly. And he’s not one to give up that easily.

Ravir points one finger at his chest and presses Tony back down onto the bed with her digit placed on his arc reactor.  
“I am here to give you what you crave, mechanic.” She pushes him further until he lies down. Sweat trickles down his face. The tension is weighing the entire room down, seemingly pressing Tony even deeper into the mattress.  
“The only woman I allow to watch me sleep while naked is Pepper and she’s not here right now, so get off.” Ravir grins and only sees it as an invitation to actually climb on top of Tony, straddling his hips. It takes all of Tony’s willpower not to throw her off. She’s trying to provoke a reaction from him. And he’s not having it. Ravir leans down until her bare chest is flush with his clothed one and Tony can feel her breath on his lips. With every movement she makes, gold dust falls on top of him.  
“You want to be rested. I can give you that. That and so much more.” Her hand moves south, but he stops her with a glare.  
“I don’t want anything from you. You’re a villainous witch.” Ravir smirks.  
“Words do not hurt me, twig.”  
“Did you just call me-“  
“I can break you just as easily.” Her lips softly press on the corner of Tony’s mouth before moving towards his ear.

“There must be _something_ you want.” Daphne. Tony’s eyes go wide. Ravir waited until they were desperate enough to even consider taking her help.  
“I want you off my dick.” He cocks an eyebrow and glances down. “Literally.” Her hand gets rid of a stray strand of hair in his face and she licks her lips.  
“Loyal to your love? Or am I not your type?”  
“Both,” he groans. “Also – as a fellow manipulative person – I know you want something from me. So, spill.” Ravir leans back until she sits up straight and rolls her eyes before rolling off Tony to lay down next to him, leaving her hand on his stomach to keep him from moving.

“I need Daphne,” Ravir sighs. “I need to activate a trigger.”  
“Oh, yeah, that mind control stuff you’ve been doing to her. I’d snap your neck if I could.” Tony’s only slightly surprised by his own words. His exhaustion causes his words to go completely past the filter he’s supposed to have.  
“She can kill Somm.”  
“I know.”  
“I _need_ her to kill Somm.” Ravir tugs at Tony’s shirt.  
“Do your own dirty work.” Ravir scoffs.  
“It took me a week of solid conditioning before Daphne truly listened to me. She is an easy target. Repeats everything I tell her. But her mind likes to twist things. It added a layer of difficulty I did not foresee.”  
“So, she’s not as weak minded as you thought she is?” Tony scoffs.  
“If you wait long enough to find her, she will not have a mind to call her own ever again. Weak or strong. Somm breaks them all. Eventually.”  
“You’re telling me Daphne’s out there somewhere, fighting his control?”  
“Did you think differently?”

“I don’t know what I thought.” Tony’s jaw tightens again, staring straight at the ceiling the way he did before Ravir showed up. “Do you know how to find her?” Ravir turns her head to reveal a wide grin.  
“So, you do want something from me?”  
“No. I simply asked you if you know how to find her.” Ravir lets go of Tony and moves to sit upright. She stretches, arching her back. Tony finally dares to turn his head and sighs when he realizes his entire bed is now covered in gold dust. As is he. How did no one mention this utterly bothersome side note to Ravir’s curse.  
“Do not fret, mechanic.” Ravir stands up and twirls. Tony doesn’t dare move. “I already have a plan set in motion.”  
“Then what do you need from me?”  
“I could not care less about your world burning.” She gyrates her hips, trying to shift Tony’s attention to her more private parts, but he remains strong, only looking into her eyes. “But I want power.” She takes a step forward. “And you have that.”  
“I don’t.”  
“You snap your fingers and the world bows.”  
“You severely overestimate me.”  
“You underestimate yourself.” Tony stands up, realizing what she’s doing. With one wave of his hand, F.R.I.D.A.Y. activates the alarm. He grins at Ravir who stares at him with wide eyes.  
“You picked the wrong person to distract.”

…

_Flash._ Peter’s woken abruptly by an alarm. He’s in a hospital bad after a particularly nasty fight with some kind of crocodile man. He could only sleep with Wanda’s help, but he was glad he’s getting a few hours in before he has to get back out again. He’s slightly confused as to why he woke up thinking about Flash. His asshole bully. Now’s not really the time for that. The alarm’s coming from Tony’s room, but before Peter can even open his sheets, the alarm is disabled. Not much later Tony speaks over the intercom.

_”Alright, nobody panic. Crisis averted. Had a lovely golden sorceress trying to seduce me next to my bed, but she’s outtie again. Don’t know where she went, but she apparently has a plan to find Daphne that involved keeping me in my bed room. Gotta keep an eye out for any suspicious situations, kay, bye!”_

Peter looks at the floor next to his bed and his eyes go wide. There’s golden dust sprinkled all around. Ravir was here too. Peter activates the intercom from his room.  
“Yeah, so, uh, I just woke up and there’s gold dust in my room. Like, everywhere,” Peter says while staring at the floor. Natasha’s voice echoes through the intercom as well.

_”Gold dust here too. Clint just walked in and said he had a weird chat with a golden lady, so it’s safe to say she’s been distracting all of us at the same time.”_

Peter frowns. Why would she have to distract them? What did she have to do that no one should have seen? F.R.I.D.A.Y. chimes in.

_”My sensors indicate that she was with Peter last. My systems were affected by her. I am sorry I could not warn earlier.”_

Peter panics now. Why was she with him last? What did she need from him? His phone rings, scaring Peter out of his bed. The screen lights up. _Ned._ He grabs his phone and picks up.

“Ned?” Peter holds his phone against his ear.  
“Peter, there’s trouble!”  
“Wha- what do you mean?”  
“I don’t know what just happened, but some silver man just appeared out of nowhere and took Flash!” Peter stares at the golden dust on his floor. _Flash_. Ravir was snooping around in his head while he was asleep.  
“Where are you?!” Peter rushes out of the bed, carefully evading the golden dust. His bare chest is still healing from all the scratches he got. His suit should be fixed soon, though. “What happened?”  
“I don’t think it really matters where we are, but this guy just snapped his fingers in front of him and Flash blanked or whatever, like, turned into a complete idiot – I know he already kind of is, but like, empty headed, I don’t know man – but the silver dude told him to find Daphne and then disappeared into thin air! With Flash!”  
“We’ve been looking for Daphne for days! How could Flash know where she is?”  
“Don’t ask me! What’s going on, Peter? Everyone is scared shitless! Why did that guy tell Flash to find Daphne?” Peter’s already jumping into his new spidey suit, ignoring the stinging of his healing wounds.  
“I’ll explain everything later, Ned, I gotta find Flash!”

…

“Kid, where are you going?” Tony’s voice reverbs through Peter’s Spider suit.  
“I’m looking for Flash,” Peter pants, haphazardly looking around while Karen scans the areas he’s swinging through.  
“That bully? He’s in Manhattan? During an evacuation?”  
“I wouldn’t be surprised-“ Peter hears Happy talk in the background. “That kid’s live-streaming all the time. He’ll get a ton of views if he films stuff here.”  
“No, no- Ravir dug through my memories while I was asleep. I woke up thinking about Flash and after the alarm went off Ned called me and told me Flash got abducted by none other than Nuveth. I think the distraction was meant so Ravir could get something from me and relay that info to her brother.”  
“That asshole’s here too?” Tony groans.  
“Why Flash?” Natasha asks.  
“I don’t know.” Peter lands against a wall and looks around, catching his breath. “But Ned told me Nuveth ordered Flash to find Daphne.”  
“How would Flash know where she is?”  
“Odin’s-“ Loki catches his swear. “They’re putting together a locator spell.”  
“What?” Peter frowns.  
“They must have David too, then. Or part of him, at least.” Loki adds. “Some spells require a lot of effort and a lot of elements. This one… Is near impossible to achieve. They must be as desparate as we are.”  
“What is it then?” Natasha asks.  
“It’s a locator spell that requires blood from an enemy, blood from a lover and blood from an acquaintance.”  
“F.R.I.D.A.Y. give me the security footage of Peter’s room, circa twenty minutes ago,” Tony orders. It gets quiet for a bit and then he curses. “She took blood from your wounds, Pete.”

“Why didn’t we try that spell?”  
“We did not have David. And then there is also the issue of the acquaintance. It has to be a very specific level. They should not know her too well, but they also should not know too little about her. Flash apparently matched the requirements.”  
“_Great._” Peter sighs sarcastically. He starts twhipping through the city again, hoping to find something. Along the way he runs into Steve. He looks tired too. Peter waves at him and Steve confidently waves back. But Peter knows the second he’s out of sight, Steve will lose his patriotic posture again. They have to keep the morale up for each other, otherwise they won’t get through this. “How does the spell work?”  
“The acquaintance has to ingest the blood of the enemy and the blood of the lover.” Peter suppresses the urge to hurl. “Once the right spells have been cast, all three candidates will know exactly where to find the one they’re looking for.” It’s quiet for a little bit when everyone realizes what this means.  
“Then David can find her too,” Peter groans. An awkward silence falls, but before anyone can speak again, they’re interrupted by a loud explosion near Peter.

“Pete?” Tony checks in on his protege.  
“I’m fine.” Peter’s voice betrays him. He’s a little shaken up, but makes the turn to head to where the explosion came from. “On my way there.”  
“No, kid, it’s okay, I’m suiting up, I’m joining you, wait up-“ Peter ends the call with Tony abruptly, still hearing a high tone in his right ear. There’s a crater in the middle of a junction. Peter lands just outside of it and looks at what’s at the center of it. Or… Who’s at the center of it. It’s the first time Peter’s seen him in real life and not on camera footage from the other Avengers. And it’s just him. No one else. Right there. Right in front of Peter. Spider-Man’s breathing quickens and he has to hold himself back. The man in the middle turns around and grins.  
“Well, if it isn’t Peter Benjamin Parker…” There’s a glimmer in his eyes. “Daphne thinks a lot about you.” Peter can’t place his accent. It’s ancient, yet… Not. He barely believes himself when he figures the accent it resembles the most is Canadian.  
“Somm,” Peter says with a threatening tone. It’s not coming across, though. He’s still a teenager standing opposite a man as old as the entire universe. Somm’s magic shifts the air pressure and tightens Peter’s lungs.  
“I think it is time I do not only get rid of you in her mind… But just… You in general.” Somm shrugs nonchalantly. Peter takes a step back and swallows. His heart beats fast and loud in his chest. Somm won’t be toying with Peter like he did with the other Avengers. Peter can see it in his eyes. Somm's going to kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be going on vacation to Austria for a week! I don't know if and/or how much I will be able to write!


	108. Spite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter gets saved by Iron Man. Loki makes sure the ritual to find Daphne goes exactly how he wants it to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! I am _so_ sorry for not posting for so long. Life has been absolutely insane lately, but I don't think that's news for everyone lol. Pandemics sure fuck with your inspiration.
> 
> I'm not sure how fast I will be able to upload the next chapter, but the fic is finally moving forward again! Enjoy! <3

Daphne is floating in her own body. Adrift in her mind. She can’t see what her body is doing. She doesn’t even have a body. Her physical one, out there in the real world is beyond her. She can’t feel it. She’s stuck inside her head. How many days has it been? She doesn’t know. Has it even been days at all? Or does it just seem like that? In any case, she’s stuck. And there’s no way out. She’s tried everything, looked everywhere, but she’s surrounded by a never ending darkness. Alone. Strangely enough, there are no emotions inside her. She just exists. All her thoughts flow through her head, apathic. She’s not scared. She’s not sad. Or angry. She’s just… There. The numb feeling that envelopes her gives her a chance to think and to do what everyone always told her to do to figure out how to use her magic.

_Look inside herself._

After hours upon hours of trying, there’s suddenly a strange sensation. Sparks surround her like they did on the beach and when she reaches that same strange state, she notices something is different. There is a shape in the distance. She can sense it. It’s the first thing she’s felt in forever and it makes her yearn for it. Daphne can’t move though, and so she tries to reach out with her magic to urge the shape to come closer. To her surprise, it does, and when it reaches her, Daphne realizes it’s a face. A person. A woman. She has tanned skin and wears soft silks held together by leather straps and details of gold. Her raven black hair held together with a complicated braid and her dark eyes bore through Daphne’s. Daphne can’t speak, but she doesn’t need to. The woman knows and strangely enough, Daphne knows too. She understands. She is Charon. She is the Ferryman. And she doesn’t have to kill Somm.

-

“Kid!” Tony throws himself between Peter and Somm, blocking a gigantic block of concrete with his suit. The suit didn’t like it, but luckily it held on.  
“Mr. Stark!” Peter pants. He’s been trying to get away from Somm for what felt like an eternity. The sorcerer can’t be shaken and Peter’s adrenaline is through the roof, knowing Somm is actively trying to kill him.  
“Help’s on the way, Pete! Loki found Ravir and is making sure this spell is done the way we need it to be. We’ll find Daphne. You’ll find Daphne!” Iron Man fires a few missiles towards the immortal man, knowing it’s useless, but all they need is time right now. And if distracting Somm gains them more time, then distracting Somm is what they’ll do. Doctor Strange joins the fight, bending reality around Somm. It doesn’t seem very effective, but hey, one missile hit. That counts for something. Black Panther lands next to Peter on the ground and helps him up.  
“Find the girl,” he says with a nod and Spider-Man nods back, still trying to catch his breath. He turns to look at Iron Man again, who throws him a set of spare web fluid and simply shouts.  
“GO!” Peter easily catches the provisions, but stumbles as he moves back and shifts to run in any direction, away from the fight.

-

“Drink up, boy,” Ravir urges. Flash takes the bowl out of her hands and doesn’t question the golden sorceress, or the most likely very unhealthy mixed drink. He throws his head back, chugging the blood, ignoring the godawful taste, because Nuveth told him to. Ravir smiles and glances at David, standing to the side, glaring at the three of them. There’s a cut on his face.  
“When will it work?” He asks quietly. Nuveth looks down at him.  
“You will know,” he replies. Ravir starts chanting spells, initiating the necessary ritual.  
“Ravir!” Loki shouts, as if he’s seeing a long lost friend. Ravir ignores him, continuing her chants over the dazed teen. “Don’t forget the call to Orath.”  
“She will not.” Nuveth glares at Loki and moves to stand between Ravir and Loki. “Do not distract her.”  
“Oh, no, no, I do not aim to. We all want to find Daphne. I am here to make sure you won’t.” Loki grins and cocks an eyebrow. “Hey!” He shouts to Ravir, who’s doing her best to concentrate on her words. “Lalalalala!”  
“Quit it, roach!” Nuveth aggressively pushes Loki away, silver dust floating through the air at the impact. “You are ruining this!” Loki scoffs and steps away from the silver sorcerer.  
“Not entirely,” he says with a sheepish smile on his face. “Just… Enough.” Ravir shouts her last word and Flash gasps as he throws up the blood he ingested, snapping out of his trance.  
“FUCK! GOD FUCKING, EW! EW! EW!” He stumbles backwards and falls on his ass. David immediately rushes towards him to help him get up. His silver arm hidden under a leather jacket. 

Ravir turns, the look on her face could easily be described as enraged. With a slight hint of insanity.  
“YOU!” She shouts as she accusingly points at Loki.  
“Me!” He replies with a joyful smile. “So, did it work?” He glances at the two teenagers who both touch their lips confused. Their tongues seem to go around inside their mouths, seemingly tasting something. Loki purses his lips. The ritual didn’t play out correctly. It was a difficult one to pull off to begin with, but Loki knew he only needed to ruin it enough for the three boys to only get a context clue of Daphne’s location, rather than knowing exactly where she is. Now all Loki can do is hope Peter recognizes the taste and the others don’t. The look on David’s face says otherwise and Loki’s face contorts. Wherever Daphne is, he knows. Loki’s eyes go wide when he sees David preparing one of those teleportation spells the earth’s sorcerers use and he shouts for the boy to stop.

Ravir and Nuveth turn to see why Loki is yelling and jolt forward. David drags Flash with him through the portal and closes it as fast as he can, preventing the metal twins to follow. Loki hopes with all his heart that Peter is close to wherever Daphne is. Otherwise David will get to her first.

-

Peter’s swinging through New York, ignoring everything. All he can think of is getting as far away from Somm as he can, his fears overruling every cell of his body- every inch of willpower to be the hero. He’s never been this scared in his entire life, shaken to the bone by how many near death experiences he had within the span of ten minutes. He’s certain that at least 37 of the blows he only barely evaded would have crushed him to death and he can still see Tony throwing himself in front of the concrete to protect Peter. Spider-Man squeezes his eyes shut in an attempt to collect himself when suddenly… His mouth salivates…? He lands against a building, swallowing. And then… He tastes it.

_Raspberry cheesecake._

His eyes go wide and he whips his head to look at the street name he’s at. When he spots the plate, he turns to look down, realizing he’s right above the ballet school. He angles his head back up in the direction of where he knows he has to go. Blackbird Bakery is only two blocks from here. He blinks, but doesn’t hesitate. He shoots forward as fast as he can, swinging the blocks until he lands in front of the collapsed bakery. He whispers.  
“Daphne.”

Peter rushes in, pulling and throwing away rubble to free his path. The store is in shambles. Nothing left of it. A half-eaten cupcake on a plate proves that this place was abandoned in a hurry. Spider-Man looks around the bakery, trying to figure out where Daphne would be. When his eye falls on the entrance to the back he shakes his head in disbelief.

It’s where Emma keeps her _best treats._ Peter rushes over the counter and makes his way to the back and his heart both flutters and sinks when he sees her. She’s still in her pointe shoes. Which means they’ve been killing her feet for three days now. The white tutu has lost its sheen. It’s dusty. Covered in blood and dirt. Her Swan crown stands crooked on her head and her tight bun hangs loosely in her neck. She’s floating, just off the ground. Her eyes are half open, as if she’s awake, but everything about her proves she’s not actually present. They were told Somm treats his “Zephyrs” like deities, but this… This is the exact opposite. Spider-Man makes his way to Daphne and takes her hands in his, lifting them as he looks up at her face.  
“Dove?” He asks quietly. “I-it’s me.”

-

“Put your phone away, idiot. You’re a civilian in a warzone. Get your priorities straight,” David growls as he walks ahead of Flash over the empty, broken, abandoned streets of New York. Flash grins and cocks his head.  
“Well, I do happen to have my priorities straight- eh… David, was it? I’m starting a livestream in 3… 2…-“  
“No-!”  
“What’s up guys! Flash here, LIVE from Manhattan! You heard it right!” He turns a circle, showing everyone the wreckage behind him, proving he’s indeed in New York. “Shit’s been absolutely CRAZY! I got abducted by some metal man, and, before you ask, no- unfortunately not Iron Man. He was some sort of sorcerer and they had me perform this ritual, it was kinda nuts! See, I still have some blood on my face!” He points at it before wiping it with his shirt and turns to David. “This guy was also part of the ritual! Got no clue who he is, but we’re looking for the lovely Daphne Birch, who apparently is very important in all of this!”  
“Stop this, you’re exposing everybody! This is gonna bite everyone in the ass when all of this is over,” David growls. Flash’s expression doesn’t falter. “Also, everybody, look how fucking cool this guy is. See his hand? SOLID SILVER! And he’s BLUE! Like, his skin is ACTUALLY blue! Are you a mutant?”

“I liked you better when you were a puppet,” David groans as he makes his way towards the bakery.  
“Ouch, man, that kinda stings! WOAH, dude, the views are going up big time!”  
“Gee, I wonder why the literal only person in Central New York making live footage during an evacuation because of an extra-terrestrial threat is getting views.” Flash scrambles to follow David.  
“Yo, dude, stop being a dick for a second. What are we looking for anyways?” David takes a deep breath to collect himself and turns to face Flash, who still has his phone up.  
“That fun little ritual we just did was supposed to help us find Daphne. Loki made Ravir fuck it up, but we were still able to taste her favourite cheesecake. Which happens to be from a certain bakery.” He decides to ignore the stream, hoping the idiot’s battery will die soon.  
“So, she’s somewhere around here?”  
“Has to be.”

“Okay-“ Flash thinks for a second. “But why didn’t we wait for the sorcerers?”  
“They want to hurt Daphne, dumbass. Or at least. They want her to hurt someone else.” David looks at his feet and frowns. His conflicted feelings finally getting the better of him. He sighs. “I’m a monster. But Daphne’s sweet and kind. Those people want her to kill the guy who’s behind all of the crap happening in New York. They’re going to force her.”  
“That’s why you took me with you? So I wouldn’t spill?” David nods.  
“Yes.”  
“So, why do _you_ want to find her?”  
“Daphne’s been messing with my head since we met, unintentionally. I wasn’t always like this, you know,” he mumbles. “But Daphne always stayed the same. She’s not the kind of person to end someone’s life. I don’t want her to be forced to do that.”  
“Why would she kill anyone, though?” David looks up at the grey sky and sighs deeply.  
“I don’t know exactly how it works, but Somm- the dude out there wreaking havoc- is an immortal. Ravir said Daphne is the only one in the universe capable of killing immortals. And Ravir happens to hold a grudge against the guy. Which means she wants Daphne to kill him. And as much as I would like him ripped to shreds, guts on the concrete, I would never let Daphne do that. She doesn’t deserve that.”

“Well, isn’t that nice of you,” Flash scoffs. David shakes his head.  
“I’m sick, you idiot.”  
“I mean, you’re blue, so it’s kind of obvious.”  
“No, I mean in my head,” David sneers. “I’ve done horrible things to get Daphne to be with me. I’ve even tried to force her to have sex-“ he interrupts himself, shaking his head. “In front of her boyfriend.” He yelps as he pulls at his hair that has started growing out. “I. Am. Sick,” he seethes. “And I am SICK of it!”  
“I know a good psychologist if you-“  
“No! No. I don’t need that. I _need_ Daphne. Preferably before those other sorcerers follow us.” Flash stops in his tracks.  
“Wait, so are you a bad guy?” David stands still. His shoulders droop and he looks at his feet. After a few seconds of silence he turns his upper body towards Flash and he bites his cheek.  
“I am.”

…

“Woah, is that…?!” Flash and David watch as they see Spider-Man landing in front of the bakery, almost immediately rushing in. David growls.  
“Can’t believe that dickhead made it here before us.”  
“Hey! Spider-Man’s a cool guy! This is way above his pay grade, man. We gotta respect him for helping out with this disaster!”  
“Fuck off.” David stomps towards the bakery. Flash follows with quick steps and shows off the half collapsed building to the people watching his stream. More and more people have joined in, including large news sites, and Flash is practically jumping at the idea of being invited to talk shows to elaborate on his grand adventures in evacuated Manhattan. Flash moves to walk into the bakery, but David stops him.

“We don’t know if she’s protected by something.”  
“Duh, Spider-Man’s in there. He’ll protect us.”  
“You maybe.” Flash looks at David confused and David frustratedly closes his eyes. “We’re not on good terms.”  
“Wait, you KNOW Spider-Man?” Flash stays right behind David as they walk into the bakery, immediately spotting the door to the back.  
“A little too well, if you ask me. If he just stayed away from Daphne I wouldn’t have this need to rip his head off.” Flash chuckles nervously, realizing that David does seem a little psychotic. He gets to the door to the back and as he walks through, something clicks.  
“Wait, Daphne knows Spider-Man?!” When Flash yelps that, he looks up from his screen to see Spider-Man, without a mask, staring wide eyed Flash, standing next to Daphne. There’s a beat. “PETER PARKER?!”

“Flash! Can you be any louder?!” Peter yells back. He shivers, suddenly. His Spider senses telling him someone dangerous is here. Then, David cuts the corner and Peter automatically stands in front of Daphne to protect her. “Stay away from her, David, she’s going through enough as is.”  
“I’m sorry for interrupting the party but, Penis, what the fuck?!”  
“Honestly, Flash, right now I have more important things to do than worry about keeping my identity a secret from you.”  
“Uh-“ David chuckles as he uses his head to gesture at Flash’s phone. “The world’s watching.” Peter’s expression falters at he stares straight into the lens of Flash’s camera. He rolls his shoulders once.  
“_Great._” He looks at the floor and laughs sheepishly. “Hi, May, I eh… I’m doing just fine. Peachy. Don’t worry about me. I’m just- eh…”

“Stop embarrassing yourself,” David groans. Peter shoots David with his eyes and sucks at his teeth.  
“David, I need to know where you stand in all of this.” David pushes Flash aside and Peter immediately squares up in front of Daphne. His jaw clenched.  
“I’m here to get Daphne out of here. She needs to be taken as far away from Somm and New York.”  
“While I- and I can’t believe I’m saying this- would agree with you, Somm is inside her head. We need her to wake up and get rid of him, otherwise Somm’s just gonna follow us elsewhere. We need to keep this contained, David. Taking Daphne out of here would put the world in danger.”  
“Says you.”  
“Wherever we take her, Somm follows. You take her to Rome? He’ll crumble all the buildings. You take her to that same abandoned cabin in the middle of nowhere you abducted us to a while back, he’s going to move mountains.” Peter’s breath is shaky, but he’s determined. “She has to push him out.”  
“Yo, I don’t mean to be like, the party pooper, but if you say Daphne is the only person that can end all of this, you should… Probably let her, to be honest.” All eyes are on Flash now. “This sorcerer sounds like scary stuff. If he can destroy anything in his path, who’s to say he won’t do it to get Daphne back? And Daphne’s the only one who can kill him... Stop this. So, maybe she should.”

“Not a chance,” David growls.  
“No, David, Flash is right.”  
“Did Peter Parker just say that I’m right? Holy shit, that’s a first.”  
“Flash, please- stay out of this.” Peter gestures at Flash’s phone, which is still streaming. “You’ve already done enough harm with that.”  
“Yo, I didn’t mean to reveal your secret identity man, you’re the one that took off the mask.” Peter needs to take a deep breath to stop himself from snapping Flash’s phone in half.  
“You shouldn’t be here in the first place, Eugene,” he quips back.  
“Hey! It’s Flash!”  
“If I’m Peter, then you’re Eugene. Now get out of here, I need to wake Daphne up.”

“Can you guys be a little more quiet, please?” Peter head whips to Daphne, who has her eyes slightly more opened now.  
“Daph?” Peter takes her hands in his again and takes a step closer. “Are you with me?”  
“Fuck, I can’t see shit-“ Daphne stares into nothing. Peter can’t help but scoff a smile.  
“Dove…”  
“Can- can you give me a minute to get my shit together?” she sighs, closing her eyes. “Fuck, I’m sore.”  
“Anything you need,” Peter says with a nod. Daphne raises one hand to cup Peter’s face and he contently closes his eyes when the familiar feeling flows through him.

“Woah, what the hell is happening?!” Flash exclaims. Peter ignores him. He must be referring to Daphne activating her magic. When Peter opens his eyes again, Daphne immediately does the same. She smiles, raising her second hand to hold onto Peter’s face as well. Her eyes light up that same bright shade of blue and Daphne slowly puts her feet on the floor, no longer floating. She blinks a few times, staring straight at Peter. When the magic disappears and her eyes no longer light up, she speaks again.  
“Hey,” she whispers. “Good to see you.” Peter can’t help himself and pulls Daphne in for a tight hug. She gulps at the sudden impact, but returns the hug immediately. Peter blinks away his tears as he hides his face in the crook of her neck. One of Daphne’s hands pets his hair.  
“I’m so sorry,” he mumbles. Daphne chuckles softly.  
“What for?”  
“Should’ve been there for you. Should’ve protected you. Somm- I should’ve-” Daphne pushes Peter away from her to look him in the eye and she cocks her head.  
“Somm’s as old as the universe. I don’t expect you to face him for me.”

“But you’re going to face him, aren’t you?” Daphne looks to stare at David.  
“I am. I now know exactly what to do.” She sniffs once, noticing Flash is there too. She decides not to ask about it. “Are you going to stop me?” David’s jaw clenches and he takes a few seconds to answer.  
“Still contemplating that.” Daphne sighs and acknowledges Flash by nodding at him. She then spots the phone and sighs.  
“You’re streaming aren’t you?” Flash nods slightly. “Fuck you.” Daphne wants to take a step towards the exit but flinches when she takes a step. Her knees buckle an Peter has to catch her. “Shit-“ she mumbles.  
“Are you okay?”  
“Yeah-“ she groans. “How long was I here for?” Peter presses his lips on top of each other, barely daring to answer, but David does it for him.  
“Three days.” Daphne’s head whips up to look at them in disbelief.  
“Three days?” Her face contorts and she moves to untie her pointe shoes while Peter keeps her up. Her tutu gets in the way constantly and she swears inwardly at the inconvenience.  
“Yeah,” Peter mumbles.  
“Well, note to self, don’t wear pointe shoes for three days straight. Got no feeling in my feet.” She tosses the shoes aside and looks at her feet. They seem to be fine, just a little squashed, as usual.

“You’re gonna face Somm like that?” Flash asks with a scoff. Daphne raises her eyebrows and stands up straight again.  
“Don’t think we really have time to do anything about the outfit, do we?” She presses the tutu down and sighs with a groan. She finally takes a second to look around and realizes where she is. “Wait, is this the Blackbird Bakery?” David nods. “Don’t suppose Emma left me some raspberry cheesecake…” Daphne puts her hand on her stomach and sighs.  
“Oh!” Flash exclaims. “So that’s what we tasted!”  
“What?” Daphne frowns, and David puts his only working hand on Flash’s shoulder, squeezing it harshly.  
“Ravir used the three of us for a locator spell. We all tasted your favourite cheesecake and figured we’d find you here.”  
“Oh, she’s on earth? Seems she is useful for something after all,” Daphne sighs. “Gotta thank her for that, I suppose… And then kick her in the shins for all the crap she pulled.” Flash wants to speak but Daphne quickly interrupts him. “She’s the one who told Somm of my existence. She’s the reason all of this is happening. Nuveth was his prisoner and in exchange for the information of my existence he released Nuveth.”  
“Wait- she-?” Peter is stunned.  
“Yeah.” It’s quiet for a second. Suddenly, Daphne realizes how this location could work in their favour. “The ballet school is like, two blocks away from here.” She looks at Peter with wide eyes. “I can get something more practical to wear from the costume room there.”

-

“Wait here,” she orders the three guys as she walks up the stairs of the ballet school barefoot. Peter looks up at her with curled eyebrows. She told him this when they had their ballet practices together on Thursdays. When she went into the school by herself first to turn off the alarm. Oh, how simple the times were back then. She makes her way into the ballet school and Peter sighs deeply.  
“So, Peter, now that we’re gonna have to wait for a girl to get changed, how did you become Spider-Man?” Flash turns his phone towards Peter, who glares.  
“I’m not telling the world, Flash.”  
“If I turned off the camera would you tell me then?”  
“No.”  
“Whelp, you just lost your chance of me ending this livestream.”  
“You wouldn’t have ended it, Flash, I’m not stupid.”

“Could you two stop bitching around?” David exclaims. “You’re giving me a headache.”  
“Why are you even still around?” Peter turns his head to look at David. “You know that the second Somm is neutralized you will be thrown back into the Raft with all the other escaped criminals.” Flash’s eyes go wide and he takes a big step away from David.  
“You were in the Raft before all of this?!” David rolls his eyes.  
“I want this to be over as much as you do, Peter,” David spits out the name. “But you can bet your ass I’m going to make sure Daphne doesn’t get hurt.”  
“I think you’ve got other plans,” Peter says with his jaw clenched. A wicked smiles grows on David’s face, but he doesn’t utter another word, causing shivers to go down Peter’s spine. Before Flash can say anything again, Daphne already walks out of the ballet school. Peter stares at her wide-eyed.

“Figured I’d make those visions Loki and I were having come true.” She cocks an eyebrow and walks down the stairs as the three young men follow her every movement. “I’m ready. Let’s do this.”  
“Out of all the outfits you could’ve picked…” Peter mutters as he stares at the off-white Persephone dress. Daphne grins. “You even did your hair half-up as well, why would you do that?” Daphne puts her hands on her hips, showing off the outfit with the brown ballet boots under it. She twirls once, letting everyone see the branches of her scar all over her back and she turns back with a smirk.  
“Spite.”


End file.
